Sales of new single-family homes in the US rose 6.4% in August 2026 from the previous month, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 684,000 units. This was the highest level since the start of the year and exceeded market expectations of 620,000, despite higher mortgage rates driven by hawkish Federal Reserve policy expectations.
Regionally, sales surged in the Midwest, climbing 84.9% to 98,000 units, and increased modestly in the South, up 6.9% to 451,000 units. These gains more than offset declines in the Northeast, where sales fell 36.1% to 23,000 units, and in the West, where they dropped 15.2% to 112,000 units.
The inventory of new homes on the market held steady at 483,000 units, representing 8.5 months of supply at the current sales pace. At the same time, the median sales price edged up to $393,700.
