REAL ESTATE UPDATE
Existing-home sales slowed in June, but the national market still finished ahead of last year's pace. More homes were available than a year earlier, giving buyers a little more choice even as prices continued to rise.
Here's a closer look at the latest national figures from the National Association of REALTORS®. These numbers describe the country as a whole, so conditions in an individual community may be quite different.
June 2026 Existing-Home Sales Housing Snapshot. Source: National Association of REALTORS®.
Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million in June. That was 2.4% lower than May, but 2.8% higher than June 2025.
The monthly decline shows that buyers remain sensitive to changing affordability conditions. Still, the year-over-year gain means more previously owned homes changed hands than during the same month last year.
There were 1.56 million existing homes available for sale at the end of June. Inventory dipped 0.6% from May, but remained 1.3% higher than one year earlier.
That represented a 4.6-month supply at the current sales pace, compared with 4.5 months in May. The figure was unchanged from June 2025. A larger selection can give buyers more room to compare homes and make thoughtful decisions, although available inventory still varies considerably by market.
The median existing-home price for all housing types was $440,600, an increase of 1.8% from June 2025. June marked the 36th consecutive month in which the national median price increased from a year earlier.
The median is the midpoint, meaning half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less. It isn't the same as the price of a typical home in every neighborhood, but it provides a useful view of the national direction.
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, offered that encouraging note about affordability. At the same time, continued progress depends partly on adding enough homes for sale to meet demand.
First-time buyers accounted for 33% of June sales, up from 30% one year earlier. That's an increase of three percentage points. Their share was lower than May's 35%, but the annual improvement suggests that more first-time buyers were able to complete a purchase than at the same point last year.
Homes spent a median of 28 days on the market, compared with 29 days in May and 27 days in June 2025. That relatively steady pace suggests that well-positioned homes can still attract buyers without necessarily selling overnight.
Inventory growth: More listings than a year ago can help create additional options for buyers. Whether that improvement continues will be an important part of the market's direction.
Affordability: Buyers remain highly responsive to changes in mortgage rates, monthly payments, wages, and home prices.
First-time buyer activity: The larger year-over-year share is a positive sign, although down payments, financing costs, and available starter homes remain key considerations.
Local differences: National statistics offer useful context, but real estate is still local. Price movement, competition, inventory, and selling time can look very different from one community to another.
View the National Association of REALTORS® June 2026 summary
Whether you're considering buying, selling, or simply keeping an eye on your home's value, national figures are only the starting point. A local real estate professional can help explain how these broader trends compare with what's happening nearby.
