Redfin Reports U.S. Pending Home Sales, New Listings Show Flickers of Life to Start August

Rhea-AI Summary

Redfin reports that for the four weeks ending August 9, 2026, U.S. pending home sales rose 0.4% week over week on a seasonally adjusted basis but were still 1.6% lower year over year, signaling only modest momentum in a subdued housing market. Mortgage-purchase applications increased 3% week over week, while the weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 6.69%, its highest level in over a year, pushing the median monthly mortgage payment up 1.7% year over year to $2,626.

On the supply side, new listings climbed 1.7% week over week and 2.2% year over year, the largest weekly gain in five months, helping lift active listings by 0.7% week over week. The median sale price reached $403,706, up 2.2% year over year, with 3.7 months of supply, 27.2% of homes selling above list price, and an average sale-to-list ratio of 98.9%. Metro-level data showed the biggest price gains in Newark and West Palm Beach and declines in Seattle and San Jose.

Market Context

COOP fell 1.99% and UWMC fell 2.58% in the current peer snapshot, providing broader mortgage-finance...

Analysis

COOP fell 1.99% and UWMC fell 2.58% in the current peer snapshot, providing broader mortgage-finance context for this housing update. The active S-3ASR and moderate short positioning remained relevant risk factors.

Key Figures

Pending sales weekly change: 0.4% Mortgage-purchase applications: 3% Pending sales year-over-year change: -1.6% +5 more

8 metrics

Pending sales weekly change 0.4% Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026; seasonally adjusted

Mortgage-purchase applications 3% Week-over-week change

Pending sales year-over-year change -1.6% Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026

Weekly mortgage rate 6.69% 30-year fixed rate; week ending Aug. 9

Median monthly housing payment $2,626 At a 6.69% mortgage rate; up 1.7% year over year

New listings weekly change 1.7% Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026; seasonally adjusted

Active listings weekly change 0.7% Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026; seasonally adjusted

Median sale price $403,706 Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026; up 2.2% year over year

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 12 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Aug 12	Home sales update	Negative	-1.9%	July home sales fell 4.1%, while pending sales reached their lowest level since December.
Aug 6	Earnings report	Positive	+3.8%	Q2 revenue reached $2.78 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $766 million.
Aug 6	Pending sales update	Negative	-4.6%	Pending sales fell 3.7% as mortgage rates climbed to a five-month low.
Aug 5	Affordability update	Positive	-1.8%	Starter-home affordability improved for eight consecutive months.
Aug 5	Affordability update	Positive	-1.8%	The income gap narrowed as housing affordability improved slightly.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Negative housing updates aligned with declines, while both positive affordability reports diverged.

Key Terms

mortgage-purchase applications, seasonally adjusted, months of supply, sale-to-list price ratio

4 terms

mortgage-purchase applications financial

"Mortgage-purchase applications rose 3% week over week."

Mortgage-purchase applications are requests submitted by consumers to lenders for home loans used to buy properties, as opposed to loans for refinancing existing mortgages. Investors watch the number and trend of these applications because they act like a real-time thermometer of housing demand and consumer confidence—rising applications suggest stronger home sales, construction activity, and related spending, while falling applications can signal cooling in the housing market and pressure on companies tied to mortgages and homebuilding.

seasonally adjusted technical

"on a seasonally adjusted basis, offering a small boost"

Seasonally adjusted means that figures have been modified to remove the effects of regular and predictable changes that happen at specific times of the year, such as holidays or weather patterns. This adjustment helps reveal the true underlying trend by making comparisons across different periods more accurate. For investors, it provides a clearer picture of whether economic activity is genuinely improving or declining, without the noise of seasonal fluctuations.

months of supply financial

"Months of supply | 3.7 | Unchanged"

Months of supply measures how long it would take to sell all available homes at the current sales rate. It is calculated by dividing the total number of homes for sale by the number of homes sold each month. A lower number suggests a faster market with high demand, while a higher number indicates a slower market with more choices for buyers.

sale-to-list price ratio financial

"Average sale-to-list price ratio | 98.9%"

The sale-to-list price ratio measures how much of a property's asking price is actually paid by buyers, expressed as a percentage. For example, if a home is listed at $300,000 and sells for $285,000, the ratio is 95%. This figure helps investors gauge the strength of the market: a higher ratio suggests buyers are willing to pay close to asking prices, indicating high demand.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

The housing market is gaining slight momentum as the summer winds down, but demand remains subdued overall

SEATTLE, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. pending home sales edged up 0.4% week over week during the four weeks ending August 9 on a seasonally adjusted basis, offering a small boost to this summer's sluggish housing market. That's according to a new report from Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket. Mortgage-purchase applications rose 3% week over week.

Pending sales are still at their second-lowest level since March, and the latest weekly uptick may reflect normal week-to-week changes rather than a meaningful shift in momentum. On a year-over-year basis, pending sales are down 1.6%.

Many would-be homebuyers are still on the sidelines, largely because mortgage rates are high: The weekly average mortgage rate is 6.69%, its highest level in over a year, pushing the median monthly housing payment up 1.7% year over year to $2,626. Some house hunters are also turned off by the topsy turvy economy.

The selling side gained a bit more steam, with new listings jumping 1.7% from a week earlier—the biggest gain in five months. The increase in new listings, along with many homes for sale lingering on the market, pushed the total number of listings up 0.7% week over week. The uptick in listings gives buyers in much of the country more negotiating power.

"Buyers should know that this isn't 2021 and 2022; the sellers' list price is a starting point for negotiations," said Sheryl Wingate, a Redfin Premier agent in the greater Seattle area. "Some sellers are flexible, and their biggest priority is selling their home quickly: If a buyer loves a home, they should make an offer they're comfortable with, ask for the concessions they want, and open negotiations. More often than not, they can get a deal done."

Wingate also noted that even in a slow market, some homes are competitive. Clean, turnkey, relatively affordable homes tend to sell quickly, and luxury homes are attracting buyers who are less sensitive to mortgage rates and economic conditions.

For Redfin economists' takes on the housing market, please visit Redfin's "From Our Economists" page.

Leading indicators

Indicators of homebuying demand and activity
	Value (if applicable)	Recent change	Year-over-year change	Source
Daily average 30-year fixed mortgage rate	6.74% (Aug. 12)	Down from 6.83% a week earlier	Up from 6.57%	Mortgage News Daily
Weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate	6.69% (week ending Aug. 9)	Highest level in over a year	Up from 6.63%	Freddie Mac
Mortgage-purchase applications (seasonally adjusted)		Up 3% from a week earlier (as of week ending Aug. 7)	Down 1%	Mortgage Bankers Association
Google searches of "homes for sale"		Unchanged from a month earlier (asof Aug. 8)	Down 3%	Google Trends
Touring activity		Up 12% from the start of the year (as of Aug. 8)	At this time last year, it was up 29% from the start of 2025	ShowingTime

Key housing-market data

U.S. highlights: Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026 Redfin's national metrics include data from 900+ U.S. metro areas and are based on homes listed and/or sold during the period. Weekly housing-market data goes back through 2021. Subject to revision.
	Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026	Year-over-year change	Week-over-week change (where applicable)	Notes
Median sale price	$403,706	2.2 %
Median asking price (seasonally adjusted)	$397,008	1.2 %
Median monthly mortgage payment (seasonally adjusted)	$2,626 at a 6.69% mortgage rate	1.7 %
Pending sales (seasonally adjusted)	314,136	-1.6 %	0.4 %	Lowest level since March, except the prior week
New listings (seasonally adjusted)	360,843	2.2 %	1.7 %	Biggest weekly increase since March
Active listings (seasonally adjusted)	1,480,356	0.5 %	0.7 %
Months of supply	3.7	Unchanged		4 to 5 months of supply  is considered balanced, with a lower number indicating seller's market conditions
Share of homes off market in two weeks	31.9 %	Unchanged
Median days on market	42	Unchanged
Share of home listings with price drops	21 %	Unchanged
Share of homes sold above list price	27.2 %	Up from about 26%
Average sale-to-list price ratio	98.9 %	Up from 98.7%

 

Metro-level highlights: Four weeks ending Aug. 9, 2026 Redfin's metro-level data includes the 50 most populous U.S. metros. Select metros may be excluded from time to time to ensure data accuracy.
	Metros with biggest year-over- year increases	Metros with biggest year- over-year decreases	Notes
Median sale price	Newark, NJ (9.9%) West Palm Beach, FL (9%) San Francisco (7.8%) Chicago (7.7%) St. Louis (7.6%)	Seattle (-3.8%) San Jose, CA (-3%) Austin, TX (-2.2%) Las Vegas (-1.6%) Dallas (-1.5%)
Pending sales	West Palm Beach, FL (16.4%) Cincinnati (6.5%) Pittsburgh (6.3%) Warren, MI (5.4%) Montgomery County, PA (5.1%)	Seattle (-18.5%) Houston (-15.9%) San Diego (-11.7%) Denver (-10.5%) Atlanta (-8%)
New listings	San Jose, CA (16.2%) St. Louis (13.4%) Virginia Beach, VA (12.5%) Houston (11.5%) Cleveland (10.6%)	Dallas (-14.6%) San Antonio (-10.1%) Fort Worth, TX (-9.6%) Atlanta (-9.6%) Miami (-6.8%)

To view the full report, including charts, please visit:
https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-update-flicker-of-life-august 

About Redfin 
Redfin is a technology-driven real estate company with the country's most-visited real estate brokerage website. As part of Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT), Redfin is creating an integrated homeownership platform from search to close to make the dream of homeownership more affordable and accessible for everyone. Redfin's clients can see homes first with on-demand tours, easily apply for a home loan with Rocket Mortgage, and save thousands in fees while working with a top local agent.

You can find more information about Redfin and get the latest housing market data and research at https://www.redfin.com/news. For more information about Rocket Companies, visit https://www.rocketcompanies.com.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redfin-reports-us-pending-home-sales-new-listings-show-flickers-of-life-to-start-august-302850649.html

SOURCE Redfin

FAQ

How are U.S. pending home sales trending in August 2026 and why does it matter for RKT investors?

U.S. pending home sales in early August 2026 inched up 0.4% week over week but remain 1.6% lower year over year. According to Redfin, this suggests subdued demand, which RKT investors may watch as a broad indicator of mortgage origination activity and housing-market health.

What mortgage rate and typical monthly payment did Redfin report for early August 2026?

Redfin reported a weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 6.69% for the week ending August 9, 2026, with a median monthly housing payment of $2,626. According to Redfin, this payment is up 1.7% year over year, reflecting affordability pressure that can influence buyer demand and mortgage volumes.

How did new home listings and active inventory change in early August 2026 according to Redfin?

New listings rose 1.7% week over week and 2.2% year over year, the biggest weekly jump in five months, while active listings increased 0.7% week over week. According to Redfin, this growing supply gives buyers more negotiating power and could shape pricing dynamics relevant to housing-focused investors like RKT shareholders.

What did Redfin report about U.S. home prices in August 2026 and what could RKT investors infer?

Redfin reported a U.S. median sale price of $403,706 for the four weeks ending August 9, 2026, up 2.2% year over year. According to Redfin, modest price growth alongside higher rates suggests a market that is cooling but not collapsing, an environment RKT investors may incorporate into housing-risk assessments.

Which U.S. metro areas saw the largest home-price increases and declines in Redfin’s August 2026 data?

According to Redfin, the biggest year-over-year median sale price gains were in Newark, West Palm Beach, San Francisco, Chicago, and St. Louis. Declines appeared in Seattle, San Jose, Austin, Las Vegas, and Dallas. Such regional variation can inform RKT investors’ views on geographic mortgage and housing exposure trends.

What do Redfin’s August 2026 housing-market indicators suggest about overall buyer demand?

Redfin’s indicators show mixed but subdued demand: pending sales slightly higher week over week, mortgage applications up 3%, yet pending sales still 1.6% lower year over year. According to Redfin, high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty keep many buyers sidelined, a backdrop closely watched by housing and mortgage-focused investors, including RKT stakeholders.