US home sales rise but remain among 2026 lows

US existing-home sales rose 1.5 percent in September from August but remained among the slowest months of 2026, National Association of Realtors data showed Tuesday, as higher mortgage rates continued to weigh on buyers.

Sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million. Compared with September 2025, sales were down 2.2 percent.

NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said August and September were the two slowest months for home sales this year despite September's monthly gain. He said recent mortgage-rate increases meant fewer buyers could qualify to buy a home.

Freddie Mac said the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.86 percent in September, up from 6.67 percent in August and 6.35 percent a year earlier.

The median existing-home price rose 1.3 percent from a year earlier to $417,500, NAR data showed, though it was slightly below the August level.

The recent rise in rates has been influenced by higher Treasury yields linked to inflation worries amid war with Iran, government debt concerns and expectations that the US central bank would raise interest rates further to rein in inflation.