Existing-Home Sales Rose by 3.2% in May

Washington, DC, June 9, 2026—Existing-home sales increased by 3.2% in May 2026. Month-over-month sales increased in the Northeast, Midwest and South, and were unchanged in the West. On a year-over-year basis, sales rose in the Midwest, South, and West, and fell in the Northeast.

“More Americans are on the move, with home sales rising to the highest level since December. This is great news for the housing market and the economy,” said NAR chief economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Improving affordability is helping drive this momentum. Even with mortgage rates ticking up compared to earlier in the year, they remain lower than a year ago and are essentially at the long-term historical average. Income gains are also outpacing home price growth by a small margin in most parts of the country.”

Yun continued, “The new record-high May home price reflects solid fundamentals for homeowners and ongoing supply constraints.”