United States Monthly Housing Review - 2026-09-19

Keep the national backdrop separate from a local offer. In August 2026, the United States had 1,140,035 active listings and 401,760 new listings, with a median asking price of $424,500 and median time on market of 60 days. These listing measures help frame a search or pricing review; they do not establish a completed-sale price or the terms available on a particular home.

Buyer decision: compare today's directly competing homes with your full monthly payment and cash-to-close budget. A $424,500 median asking price is a market midpoint, not a valuation or affordability target. Ask for property-specific financing and seller-concession scenarios before making an offer.

Seller decision: use the 1,140,035 active listings as broad competition context, then narrow to location, condition, size and price. The 60-day median is not a promised marketing period; evaluate recent comparable transactions and current competing listings before setting price.

Inventory definitions: 1,583,588 total listings include active and pending listings, while 1,140,035 active listings exclude pending inventory. The 401,760 new listings are a monthly flow and should not be added to the active count. FRED republishes Realtor.com series; agreement between them is not independent corroboration.

Timing and interpretation: August 2026 is the observation month, not a live listing count for the report date 2026-09-19. The data are not seasonally adjusted. This report makes no month-over-month or year-over-year change claim from the displayed snapshot, and no mortgage-rate or closed-sales claim.

Active listings (excludes pending): 1,140,035. 2026-08-01; listing count, not seasonally adjusted.

active_listing_count: 1,140,035. 2026-08-01; listing count.

total_listing_count: 1,583,588. 2026-08-01; listing count.

median_listing_price: 424,500. 2026-08-01; USD asking price.

median_days_on_market: 60. 2026-08-01; days.

new_listing_count: 401,760. 2026-08-01; listing count.

United States observations do not establish local county or metro conditions.

Redfin context: its Data Center describes the Housing Market Tracker as updating weekly and monthly. No Redfin geography-specific figure or exact next-release day was verified in the inspected landing page, so none is used in this report.

Release calendar: this exact FRED series lists Oct 1, 2026 as its next release. Realtor.com schedules its September 2026 inventory update for October 2026, without specifying a day in the inspected inventory calendar. These are publication schedules, not forecasts.

1. FRED housing series
2. Realtor.com Research
3. Redfin housing data
4. Nashville Home Sales and Pricing Trends

UNITED STATES HOUSING MARKET UPDATE

FRED July 2026 housing data and Redfin June 2026 national market data. Sources retrieved August 12, 2026.

Prepared by Michael Thayer, CMPS, CMA

This report covers the United States housing market as a whole. It does not describe one state, metro, county, neighborhood, property type, price range, or individual home.

UNITED STATES MARKET AT A GLANCE

4.06 million existing-home sales annual rate in July

1. The FRED existing-home-sales series recorded a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million in July, down from 4.13 million in June. This is an annualized pace based on one month of activity, not 4.06 million closings during July.

$434,100 median existing-home sale price in July

1. The FRED median price of existing homes was $434,100 in July. It was lower than June's $442,800 but about 2.0% above the $425,700 level reported for July 2025. This series is not seasonally adjusted, and a national median is not a property valuation.

1,126,252 active listings in July

1. The FRED United States active-listing series rose from 1,102,615 in June to 1,126,252 in July. That is 23,637 more active listings, an increase of about 2.1% from one month to the next. The source counts active single-family homes and condos or townhomes and excludes pending listings.

423,732 new listings in July

1. The FRED United States new-listing series recorded 423,732 new listings in July, down from 463,480 in June. These figures are not seasonally adjusted, so normal month-to-month patterns can affect the comparison.

$428,950 median listing price in July

1. The FRED United States median-listing-price series was $428,950 in July, compared with $430,000 in June. A listing price is what a seller asks. It is not the same as a closed sale price, appraisal, or final negotiated price.

57 median days on market in July

1. The FRED United States median-days-on-market series increased from 53 days in June to 57 days in July. The underlying Realtor.com measure follows listings from list date to closing, pending, or off-market status depending on available data.

Redfin's June national market snapshot

1. Redfin's June 2026 national report placed the median sale price at $408,776, up 2.2% from a year earlier. Redfin reported 302,606 homes sold, up 4.5% year over year; 376,762 new listings, up 0.1%; 1,496,490 active listings, up 0.8%; 3.7 months of supply; and a 49-day median time on market.

National mortgage-rate context

1. The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed mortgage rate reported through FRED averaged 6.69% for the week ending August 6, 2026. This is a national survey average, not a quote. A borrower's rate can vary with credit, loan type, property, down payment, points, and market timing.

WHY THE SOURCES DO NOT MATCH EXACTLY

Redfin, Realtor.com data carried by FRED, and National Association of Realtors data carried by FRED use different coverage, definitions, timing, revisions, and adjustment methods. For example, Redfin's June active-listing count is larger than the FRED/Realtor.com July count. That does not mean one number should be subtracted from the other. Each is a separate view of a large national market.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE MARKET READING

The national market is moving at a moderate pace. July's FRED data show more active choices for buyers, fewer new listings than in June, and a longer median time on market. Existing-home sales slowed from June's annualized pace, while the median existing-home price remained above its year-earlier level. Redfin's June report also showed sales and prices higher than a year earlier, but with only modest growth in active inventory. These mixed signals argue for a local and property-specific plan instead of a single national prediction.

BUYER DECISION GUIDE

1. Use national data for direction, then compare recent local sales and current listings in the exact area and price range you are considering.
2. Keep payment planning separate from price headlines. Interest rate, taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA fees, and down payment can materially change affordability.
3. Inspect carefully and use appropriate contingencies. A slower median market does not remove property-specific risk.
4. Build your financing and decision path with Your Mortgage GPS.

SELLER DECISION GUIDE

1. Price from recent comparable sales and current competition in the same local market.
2. Do not assume a national price increase applies to your home. Condition, location, updates, price band, and buyer demand matter.
3. Track showings, feedback, and competing listings during the first weeks rather than waiting for a national headline to change.
4. Discuss price, repairs, credits, and timing as separate choices before changing the marketing plan.

HOMEOWNER CHECKPOINT

For a refinance, move, or equity decision, combine this broad national context with a current loan statement, estimated home value, expected transaction costs, cash needs, and the payment on a possible next home. National medians cannot establish usable equity or loan eligibility.

COMPARE THE UNITED STATES WITH GREATER NASHVILLE

Use Nashville Home Sales and Pricing Trends to compare the national market with the entire Greater Nashville MSA. That page covers the metropolitan area as a whole, not Davidson County.

SOURCE AND METHOD NOTES

1. FRED Existing Home Sales release: National Association of Realtors national sales and price measures. July observations were updated August 11, 2026.
2. FRED Housing Inventory Core Metrics: Realtor.com listing measures, monthly and not seasonally adjusted. July observations were updated August 7, 2026.
3. Redfin June 2026 national report: Redfin states that most figures are seasonally adjusted, except median sale price and mortgage-rate data.
4. FRED 30-year fixed mortgage average: Freddie Mac national survey, weekly.

All figures can be revised. These data do not establish a home's value, a buyer's eligibility, a future price, a guaranteed negotiation outcome, or a mortgage rate available to a specific person.

Nationally, the latest monthly housing data shows that the median existing-home price is around $270,000, with sales of existing homes decreasing by about 2% from the previous month. Typically, this time of year sees a slowdown in sales, but the current market is still showing strong demand. In most cases, homes sell within a few weeks of being listed, with the average days on market around 30.

The national numbers are influenced by various factors, including inventory levels, interest rates, and regional market trends. Generally, the western states are seeing the largest gains in home prices, while the northeastern states are experiencing more moderate growth. The national housing market is also being driven by low unemployment rates and rising consumer confidence, which is contributing to the strong demand for housing.

When comparing the national numbers to the local Nashville market, there are some notable differences. The median home price in Nashville is around $320,000, which is higher than the national median. Sales of existing homes in Nashville have also been increasing, with growth of about 5% from the previous month. In Nashville, homes are selling quickly, with an average of around 20 days on market. The local market is driven by a strong economy, with major industries such as music and healthcare contributing to housing demand. By comparing the national and local numbers, we can see that the Nashville market is outperforming the national market in terms of home price growth and sales activity.

Source: Redfin