US Existing Homes Sales Expected to Slow Further in August Report

02:33 PM EDT, 09/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The National Association of Realtors' measure of US existing-home sales is expected to fall by 1.7% to a 3.98 million annual rate in August, based on a survey compiled by Bloomberg, after slowing to a 4.06 million rate in July. Existing-home sales were at a 4.03 million rate in August 2025, so the year-over-year change would be lower than the previous year. The data are scheduled to be released at 10:00 am ET Thursday. The pending home sales index, also produced by the NAR, was down 2.3% in July and was 2.2% below its reading a year ago. That measure is taken at contract signing and is meant to foreshadow movements in existing homes closings a month or two out. Recent mortgage application data from the Mortgage Bankers Association indicated that mortgage rates declined slightly early in August before rebounding at the end of the month, making it harder for buyers to enter the market.