US Home Sales Increase in September Amid Rising Mortgage Rates

WHO:

ABC News Business - U.S. homebuyers and sellers involved in the housing market.

WHAT:

Alternet - Pending home sales plunged 4 percent in September from a month earlier, marking the biggest decline in more than three years, reaching the lowest level since 2014 outside the early months of the 2020 Covid pandemic.

Alternet - Nationwide, 14.5 percent of homebuying deals that went under contract in September were canceled, the highest share since the start of the pandemic.

Alternet - Nearly 19 percent of home buying deals in San Antonio, Texas, fell through in September, while nearly 20 percent of buying deals collapsed in Jacksonville, Florida.

Alternet - Seattle experienced the biggest decline in pending sales among major metros, with a drop of 24.4 percent from a year earlier.

ABC News Business - Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in September from the previous month.

NY Post - The annual sales pace of home sales remained below 4 million for the second consecutive month.

Bloomberg Markets - Sales of U.S. existing homes rose to an annualized rate of 3.99 million in September, marking the first increase in four months.

WHERE:

ABC News Business - The U.S. housing market.

WHEN:

Bloomberg Markets - The increase in home sales occurred in September.

WHY:

ABC News Business - Rising mortgage rates and home prices are discouraging prospective homebuyers.

HOW:

NY Post - The market is described as "very tough" for homebuyers due to the climbing mortgage rates.

(UPDATED October 13, 2026 19:06 UTC)

Pending home sales saw a significant drop of 4 percent in September, marking the largest decline in over three years and reaching the lowest level since 2014, excluding the early months of the 2020 Covid pandemic. Nationwide, 14.5 percent of homebuying deals that went under contract were canceled in September, the highest rate since the pandemic began, with San Antonio and Jacksonville experiencing nearly 19 and 20 percent of deals falling through, respectively. Seattle reported the most substantial decline among major metropolitan areas, with pending sales plummeting by 24.4 percent compared to the previous year.

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(UPDATED October 13, 2026 18:05 UTC)

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes saw an increase in September, rising to an annualized rate of 3.99 million, which marks the first uptick in four months. However, despite this rise, the annual sales pace has remained below 4 million for the second consecutive month, as rising mortgage rates and home prices continue to discourage potential buyers. The current market conditions are being described as "very tough" for homebuyers, reflecting the challenges they face in navigating the housing landscape.