REAL ESTATE UPDATE
Existing-home sales eased in July, but the national market stayed close to last year's pace. Inventory was also near its year-earlier level, while the national median price continued to rise.
These figures come from the National Association of REALTORS® July 2026 report, released August 11. Local conditions can move differently, so this is a broad national snapshot rather than a description of every community.
National Snapshot
Sales
- Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million
- Sales decreased 1.7% from June
- Sales were 0.7% higher than in July 2025
- Sales through July were 2.4% ahead of the same period last year
Inventory and supply
- Total housing inventory was 1.54 million homes
- Inventory decreased 1.9% from June and 0.6% from July 2025
- Unsold inventory represented a 4.6-month supply, unchanged from both June and July 2025
Median price
- The national median existing-home price was $431,400
- The median price was 2.0% higher than a year earlier
- July marked the 37th consecutive month of year-over-year median-price gains
Market Trends to Watch
July's month-to-month slowdown came alongside sales that were still slightly higher than a year earlier. That combination points to a national market moving within a fairly narrow range rather than making a sharp turn.
Inventory and months of supply also stayed close to last summer's levels. Buyers may still find that choice, pricing and competition look very different from one local market to another.
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