Washington, D.C., April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pending domestic gross sales in March higher through 1.5% from the prior month and declined 1.1% year-over-year, in step with the Nationwide Affiliation of REALTORS® Pending House Gross sales file. The file supplies the true property ecosystem—together with brokers, homebuyers and dealers—with knowledge at the degree of domestic gross sales underneath contract.
Month-over-month pending domestic gross sales rose within the Northeast and South, and declined within the Midwest and West. Yr-over-year pending domestic gross sales rose within the South, and declined within the Northeast, Midwest and West.
“Contract signings rose in March despite higher mortgage rates, pointing to pent-up housing demand,” mentioned NAR Leader Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “A greater supply of inventory will help translate that demand into more home sales.”
“Demand sensitivity to mortgage rates is greatest among first-time buyers, particularly younger buyers,” Yun mentioned. “As a result, boosting supply and new-home construction should focus on smaller, more affordable homes.”
“A good number of markets in the South experienced price cuts over the past year but recorded the strongest job growth,” Yun added. “That combination should lead to stronger housing market activity in the South this year.”
March 2026 Nationwide Pending House Gross sales
1.5% build up month-over-month1.1% lower year-over-year
March 2026 Regional Pending House Gross sales
Northeast
4.4% build up month-over-month6.5% lower year-over-year
Midwest
1.3% lower month-over-month3.1% lower year-over-year
South
3.9% build up month-over-month2.3% build up year-over-year
West
2.6% lower month-over-month1.7% lower year-over-year
On the native degree, a number of markets posted notable year-over-year beneficial properties in pending domestic gross sales. Some of the 50 greatest metro spaces, the next 10 markets posted the most important annual will increase in pending domestic gross sales, in step with knowledge from Realtor.com® Economics:
Kansas Town, MO-KS (+14.9%)Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI (+13.5%)Austin–Spherical Rock–San Marcos, TX (+12.8%)Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ (+12.1%)Raleigh–Cary, NC (+10.0%)Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, OR-WA (+9.7%)Richmond, VA (+8.5%)Virginia Seaside–Chesapeake–Norfolk, VA-NC (+8.5%)Dallas–Citadel Value–Arlington, TX (+8.1%)Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (+8.0%)
Concerning the Nationwide Affiliation of REALTORS®The Nationwide Affiliation of REALTORS® is keen on all facets of residential and industrial actual property. The time period REALTOR® is a registered collective club mark that identifies an actual property skilled who’s a member of the Nationwide Affiliation of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Without spending a dime client guides about navigating the homebuying and promoting transaction processes—from written purchaser agreements to negotiating reimbursement—talk over with details.realtor.
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*The Pending House Gross sales Index is a number one indicator for the housing sector, in response to pending gross sales of current houses. A sale is indexed as pending when the contract has been signed however the transaction has now not closed, regardless that the sale typically is finalized inside of one or two months of signing.
Pending contracts are excellent early signs of upcoming gross sales closings. Then again, the period of time between pending contracts and finished gross sales isn’t an identical for all domestic gross sales. Diversifications within the duration of the method from pending contract to closed sale can also be brought about through problems akin to purchaser difficulties with acquiring loan financing, domestic inspection issues, or appraisal problems.
The index is in response to a pattern that covers about 40% of a couple of list carrier knowledge every month. In growing the type for the index, it was once demonstrated that the extent of per 30 days sales-contract job parallels the extent of closed existing-home gross sales within the following two months.
An index of 100 is the same as the common degree of contract job throughout 2001, which was once the primary yr to be tested. By way of twist of fate, the amount of existing-home gross sales in 2001 fell throughout the vary of five.0 to five.5 million, which is thought of as customary for the present U.S. inhabitants.
