Statistics · 2026 · Real Estate
Home Sales Statistics (2026)
U.S. existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million in August 2026, according to the National Association of Realtors. In Redfin's May 2026 data for 819 metros, the typical metro with 100 or more sales closed at 98.6% of list price, and only 51 of 324 averaged at or above asking. Realtor.com shows a September 2026 median of 33.7 pending listings for every 100 active ones.
Key takeaways
- NAR reports existing-home sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million in August 2026, down 2.0% from July, and Census reports new single-family sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 684,000.
- Redfin counts 196,364 homes sold in May 2026 across 819 metros, a subset that leaves out 26 large metros whose stored figures are seasonally adjusted.
- The median metro's median sale price was $275,000 in May 2026, up a median 2.7% from a year earlier.
- Among 324 metros with 100 or more sales, the median average sale-to-list ratio is 98.6%, and 51 metros average at or above 100%.
- The median metro had 33.7 pending listings per 100 active listings in September 2026 (Realtor.com), and 10 of 788 metros had more pending than active.
How many homes sold in the latest month?
Existing homes sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million in August 2026, NAR reports, while new single-family homes sold at a rate of 684,000. Redfin's unadjusted May 2026 counts add up to 196,364 closed sales across 819 metros. Annual rates and single-month counts measure different things.
1. NAR: existing-home sales at a 3.98 million annual rate in August 2026
The NAR Existing-Home Sales report shows a 2.0% month-over-month decrease and a 1.2% year-over-year decrease. Total housing inventory was 1.62 million units, a 4.9-month supply. NAR labels the 3.98 million sales rate as seasonally adjusted.
2. Census: 684,000 new single-family homes sold at an annual rate in August 2026
The Census Bureau and HUD New Residential Sales release puts the seasonally adjusted rate at 684,000, up from 643,000 in July and 2.0% below August 2025. Census gives margins of error of ±19.5% on the 6.4% monthly gain and ±15.7% on the yearly change, so neither is statistically significant.
3. Redfin: 196,364 homes sold in May 2026 across 819 metros
WealthyBud sums Redfin's unadjusted monthly counts of homes sold (all residential types) (WealthyBud data · 819 metros · Redfin, May 2026). The total leaves out 26 large metros, such as Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA, because the Redfin rows stored for them are seasonally adjusted, and 95 metros with an older or missing Redfin period.
4. The median metro closed 68 sales in May 2026; 37 metros closed 1,000 or more
332 of 819 metros recorded 100 or more sales, the minimum for any ranking here. The three busiest, Houston, TX, Chicago, IL and Atlanta, GA, account for 11.3% of the total (WealthyBud data · 819 metros · Redfin, May 2026).
What is the median sale price?
NAR puts the median existing-home price at $429,100 for August 2026, up 1.6% from a year earlier. Census puts the median new-house price at $393,700. Across 819 metros in Redfin's May 2026 data, the median metro's median sale price was $275,000.
5. NAR: median existing-home price $429,100 in August 2026, up 1.6%
The NAR report gives the median for all housing types and notes that a year earlier it was $422,400.
6. Census: median new-house price $393,700 in August 2026, 5.8% below a year earlier
The Census release reports the change with a margin of error of ±8.2%, which is larger than the change. By WealthyBud's calculation the new-house median sits 8.2% below NAR's existing-home median for the same month; the two surveys use different methods.
7. Median metro sale price: $275,000 in May 2026
Among 819 metros, the middle value of each metro's Redfin median sale price is $275,000. Among metros with 100 or more sales, Breckenridge, CO ($1,237,500), Heber, UT ($1,150,000) and Santa Cruz, CA ($1,150,000) are highest, and Decatur, IL is lowest at $150,000 (WealthyBud data · 332 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026).
8. Median metro sale price changed +2.7% year over year; 519 metros rose, 295 fell and 5 were unchanged
The change is the median of Redfin's year-over-year change in median sale price. Redfin reports it for all 819 metros; 5 show exactly 0.0%, a genuine unchanged reading (WealthyBud data · 819 metros · Redfin, May 2026). For longer-run price growth see home price appreciation statistics.
Do homes sell above or below asking price?
Most metros sell slightly below asking. Among 324 metros with 100 or more sales in May 2026, the median average sale-to-list ratio is 98.6%. Only 51 metros averaged at or above 100%, and 112 averaged below 98%. Redfin averages the ratio across every home sold in a metro.
9. Median average sale-to-list ratio: 98.6%
Redfin defines the average sale-to-list price ratio as the average of each sold home's sale price divided by its list price, and excludes sales 50% or more above or below list. WealthyBud takes the median of the metro averages (WealthyBud data · 324 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026).
10. 51 of 324 metros averaged at or above list price (15.7%)
The remaining 273 averaged below list. 112 metros, or 34.6%, closed more than 2% under list on average (WealthyBud data · 324 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026).
Which metros sell the most homes above asking?
Rochester, NY sold homes at 113.7% of list price on average in May 2026, the highest of 324 metros with 100 or more sales. Hartford, CT (105.7%) and Buffalo, NY (104.8%) follow. Every metro in the top ten averaged above list price.
11. Rochester, NY leads at 113.7% of list price
Its average closing came in 13.7% over asking across 651 sales (WealthyBud data · 324 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026). New York has 4 of the top ten and Connecticut has 3.
| Metro | Sale-to-list | Homes sold | Median sale price | Price YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rochester, NY | 113.67% | 651 | $290,000 | +4.6% |
| 2. Hartford, CT | 105.69% | 929 | $411,000 | +6.8% |
| 3. Buffalo, NY | 104.84% | 607 | $270,000 | +2.8% |
| 4. Syracuse, NY | 103.18% | 324 | $275,450 | +12.5% |
| 5. Norwich, CT | 102.97% | 235 | $405,000 | +6.6% |
| 6. New Haven, CT | 102.28% | 713 | $423,600 | +10.3% |
| 7. Tupelo, MS | 102.27% | 122 | $249,950 | −5.7% |
| 8. Springfield, MA | 102.19% | 502 | $385,450 | +4.2% |
| 9. Albany, NY | 102.14% | 585 | $340,000 | +3.3% |
| 10. Manchester, NH | 102.09% | 430 | $537,500 | +5.4% |
12. Wisconsin has the most metros at or above list
Of the 51 metros averaging at or above 100%, the largest state groups are Wisconsin (9), New York (6), Pennsylvania (6) (a metro counts under its principal city's state) (WealthyBud data · 51 metros · Redfin, May 2026). Track fast-selling places in the momentum dashboard.
13. Wichita Falls, TX sits lowest at 93.7% of list price
The five lowest are listed below. Florida appears 2 times among them (WealthyBud data · 324 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026).
- Wichita Falls, TX averaged 93.71% of list price across 157 sales.
- Key West, FL averaged 94.07% of list price across 184 sales.
- Topeka, KS averaged 94.22% of list price across 275 sales.
- Naples, FL averaged 94.28% of list price across 959 sales.
- Branson, MO averaged 94.35% of list price across 114 sales.
See which metros are heating up
How many listings go under contract?
In Realtor.com's September 2026 data, the median metro had 33.7 pending listings for every 100 active listings. Pooled across 788 metros with 100 or more active listings, there were 37.1 pending per 100 active. 10 metros had more pending listings than active ones.
14. Median pending ratio: 33.7% across 788 metros
Realtor.com defines the pending ratio as the pending listing count divided by the active listing count in a month. The pool is metros with 100 or more active listings; 1 more is excluded because the field is blank (WealthyBud data · 788 metros · Realtor.com, Sept 2026).
15. Pooled pending ratio: 37.1% (400,337 pending, 1,077,890 active)
WealthyBud's calculation: total pending divided by total active listings across the same 788 metros, which weights large metros more than the median does (WealthyBud data · 788 metros · Realtor.com, Sept 2026).
16. 10 metros had more pending than active listings; Rochester, NY peaked at 185.9%
A ratio above 100% means pending listings outnumber active ones. New York holds 6 of the top ten (WealthyBud data · 788 metros · Realtor.com, Sept 2026).
How do sale prices compare with list prices?
Most metros close slightly under list price. Among 324 metros with 100 or more sales in May 2026, the median average sale-to-list ratio is 98.6%, so the typical metro closes about 1.4% below list. 51 metros averaged at or above list, and 112 averaged below 98%.
17. The typical metro closes about 1.4% under list price
Redfin compares each home's final sale price with its own final list price, so the ratio does not depend on the mix of homes sold. Redfin leaves the ratio blank for 37 of the 819 metros, including 8 of the 332 with 100 or more sales; WealthyBud treats those as missing (WealthyBud data · 324 metros with 100+ sales · Redfin, May 2026).
18. NAR: 4.9 months of supply for existing homes; Census: 8.5 months for new homes
NAR counts 1.62 million existing homes for sale (report), while Census counts 8.5 months of new homes at the current sales pace (release). The two measure different homes with different methods, so do not compare them directly. See days on market statistics for how long homes take to sell.
What this means for buyers, sellers and investors
For buyers, check the local sale-to-list ratio before you set an offer. Most metros close under asking, but a few, like Rochester, NY, close above it. Ask your agent for recent closings, a theme covered in real estate agent statistics.
For sellers, the typical metro closes under list price, so price near the market, not above it. The pending ratio shows how many listings already have an accepted offer compared with those still for sale.
For investors, sales volume and sale-to-list ratios show liquidity. Combine them with price trends in housing market statistics before you pick a market.
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