April 17 2026

Existing-home sales pulled back in March, reversing February’s modest gains as affordability pressures and rising mortgage rates continued to weigh on buyer activity. Sales fell 3.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million , slipping 1.0% below year-ago levels. “March home sales remained sluggish and below last year’s pace,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, pointing to weaker consumer confidence and softer job growth as ongoing headwinds. Inventory improved slightly, but concerns about demand persist. Total housing inventory rose to 1.36 million units , up 3.0% from February and 2.3% higher than a year ago, representing a 4.1-month supply of homes. “Inventory remains a major constraint on the market,” Yun said, noting that an additional 300,000 to 500,000 listings would help normalize conditions and ease pressure on buyers. Limited supply continues to support price growth. The median existing-home price climbed to $408,800 , up 1.4% year-over-year and marking the 33rd consecutive month of annual increases. Affordability showed mixed signals. The Housing Affordability Index dipped to 113.7 in March from 117.5 in February but remains above year-ago levels, with improvements recorded across all regions. Regional Breakdown (Sales and Prices, March 2026)

April 10 2026

Mortgage applications dipped again last week, though the pace of decline slowed considerably. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.8% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending April 3. Refinance activity continued to weaken, with the Refinance Index falling 3% from the previous week and now sitting 4% below year-ago levels. The slowdown reflects a sharp drop in borrower incentive following the recent run-up in rates. Purchase activity showed modest resilience, with the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index rising 1% from the prior week. However, demand remains softer overall, with purchase applications down 7% compared to the same time last year—the first annual decline since early 2025. MBA’s Joel Kan said “higher mortgage rates and continued economic uncertainty weighed down on mortgage applications again last week,” adding that refinance demand has dropped to its lowest level since December 2025. He also pointed out that some segments of the market are holding up better, particularly FHA and ARM loans, which continue to benefit from relatively lower rates and improving housing inventory in certain markets. Application composition shifted slightly, with refinance share decreasing to 44.3% from 45.3% the prior week. ARM share increased to 8.6% . FHA share edged down to 19.3% , while VA share held steady at 16.1% and USDA share remained unchanged at 0.5% .

April 01 2026

Mortgage applications fell  for the third consecutive week amid an increasingly volatile rate environment. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a decrease of 10.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending March 27. The Refinance Index fell 17% from the previous week, but remains 33% higher than the same week one year ago. Purchase activity also declined, with the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index dropping 3% , just 1% above year-ago levels. MBA’s Mike Fratantoni notes "higher rates  are being offset somewhat by the buyer’s market in many parts of the country – there are more homes for sale than buyers have seen in some time. Moreover, purchase applications for FHA and VA loans continue to hold up better than those for conventional buyers.  However, the shocks of the jump in rates and the increase in overall economic uncertainty are likely having an impact on buyer confidence.” Once again, application activity shifted further away from refinances. The refinance share of total applications decreased to 45.3% from 49.6% the prior week, while ARM share edged down to 8.0% . FHA share decreased slightly to 19.5% , VA share increased to 16.1% , and USDA share held steady at 0.5% . Mortgage Rate Summary: