New U.S. home sales fell sharply at the start of 2026, with January’s reading showing a month-over-month drop of 17.6%, according to data updated on 19 March 2026. The decline marks a steep acceleration from December 2025, when new home sales were already down 1.7% compared with November.
The January figures underscore mounting pressure in the housing market as the pace of sales deterioration intensified from late 2025 into the new year. On a month-over-month basis, the latest data show that what had been a mild pullback in December has evolved into a much more pronounced contraction in new home demand by January 2026.
