Weekly Housing Headlines

Pending home sales decreased 9.3% in December, with month-over-month declines in all four regions; mortgage applications increased 14.1% from one week earlier; Redfin estimated there were 47.1% more home sellers than buyers nationwide – the widest gap since its records began in 2013; mortgage refinancing jumped sharply higher for the second straight week, as interest rates fell further; and home prices increased 2.2% year over year, down from 2.6% in November and the slowest growth since 2012.

NAR Pending Home Sales Report Shows 9.3% Decrease in December
National Association of Realtors - 1/21/2026
Month-over-month pending home sales declined in all four regions. Year-over-year pending home sales rose in the South and declined in the Northeast, Midwest and West.

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 1/21/2026
Mortgage applications increased 14.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 16, 2026.

Buyers seize rare edge as home sellers flood U.S. housing market
Mortgage Professional America - 1/20/2026
Redfin estimated there were 47.1% more home sellers than buyers nationwide, or roughly 631,500 extra sellers. That's the widest gap since its records began in 2013.

Mortgage refinances surged again, but rates are now suddenly jumping higher
CNBC - 1/21/2026
Mortgage refinancing jumped sharply higher for the second straight week, as interest rates fell further, but that boom may be about to bust. Interest rates are now moving much higher.

U.S. Home Prices Inched Up 0.1% in December from a Month Earlier
Redfin - 1/20/2026
Redfin reports home prices increased 2.2% year over year, down from 2.6% in November and the slowest growth since 2012.

Redfin Reports Homebuying and Selling Activity Show Signs of Life Amid Lower Mortgage Rates
Redfin - 1/22/2026
U.S. pending home sales fell 2.9% year over year during the four weeks ending January 18, the smallest decline in over a month, as mortgage rates declined, according to a new report from Redfin.

House Prices Decline in Local Markets Despite National Growth
Eye On Housing - 1/22/2026
While many metro areas continued to see house price appreciation, others experienced notable declines following several years of rapid growth.

More Buyers Catching A Break: Affordability Gains Reported Across Major Markets
National Mortgage Professional - 1/20/2026
Zillow forecasts that easing mortgage rates, slower price growth, and rising incomes will make homeownership affordable in 20 of the nation’s largest metros by 2026, the broadest improvement since 2022.

Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending Jan. 17, 2026)
Realtor.com - 1/22/2026
The first full weekly snapshot of 2026 arrives amid a shifting macroeconomic backdrop that is slightly more supportive of housing activity than it was late last year, but still far from robust.

Builder Sentiment Loses Ground at Start of 2026
Eye On Housing - 1/16/2026
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for newly built single‑family homes fell two points to 37 in January, leaving the gauge below the 50 breakeven line for the 21st straight month.