New Listings Tick Up As Summer Winds Down
New listings of U.S. homes for sale climbed 1.2% week over week to their highest level in over three months during the four weeks ending August 16. That marks the fifth straight week of increases. Note that this data is seasonally adjusted.
The upswing in new listings comes as homebuying demand slows: Pending home sales fell 1.3% week over week to their lowest level since March. Many house hunters are sitting on the sidelines because the economy is uncertain and housing costs are high. The weekly average mortgage rate is just shy of the highest level in 13 months, and the median home-sale price rose 1.8% year over year. One bit of relief for buyers: the median asking price fell 0.1%, a tiny decline but the first since January.
Pennsylvania Named 9th Best State to Live In
The Keystone State was named the ninth best state to live in by WalletHub, highlighted particularly for its high quality of life and safety.
With a total score of 57.71, Pennsylvania fell between Minnesota (57.94) and Florida (57.48), just making the top 10.
Notably, the state ranked no. 4 overall in the quality of life category, which looked at factors like hours worked per week, average commute time, miles of bicycling/walking trails, access to public transportation, traffic, museums, movie theaters, weather and more.
Read more from the PA Association of Realtors.
Bucks County Town Makes Top 10 in National Luxury Housing Market
New Hope ranked as the No. 2 hottest luxury housing market in the nation during the second quarter of 2026, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
It was the only Pennsylvania community among 327 luxury markets in the analysis by The Business Journals.
Read more from Bucksco.Today.
Northeast U.S. New Home Sales Buck National Trends, at Highest Level of 2026
New home sales fell on both a month-over-month (-10.5%) and year-over-year (-6.3%) basis in July, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 607,000, the lowest since January. Builders have struggled to sell new homes in 2026 and the July median sales price reflects this, falling to $393,800, which represents a 2.3% decrease from June and a 0.9% decrease from last July. Once again, the new home median price is well below the median price of existing homes sold in July, due to mix effects of where new and existing homes are located as well as to relative softness in the new home segment. Builders are struggling to find buyers as affordability concerns keep many families in place for the time being.
The bright spot for new home sales is in the Northeast, where the seasonally adjusted annual rate of new homes sold was at its highest level of 2026, up 30.3% month over month and up 95.5% year over year
The Kind of House Buyers Are Willing to Pay More For
That spare room on the main floor. The finished basement with a kitchenette and its own entrance. The bonus room you've been using for storage.
To you, it's extra space. But to a growing pool of buyers, it's the reason they'd pick your house. Here's why. Multi-generational homebuying is on the rise.
The number of multi-generational households is climbing. That's when 3 or more generations live under one roof. And data shows those households grew from 3.2 million to almost 4 million between 2014 and 2024, according to Realtor.com.
Read more from Keeping Current Matters.
Homebuying Deal Breakers: What Turns Buyers Away
When looking for a home to buy, some things can make or break the decision to pursue a listing. Here are some homebuying deal breakers revealed in a survey by 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty.
First Impressions Count. When looking at homes, 25% said they take 10 minutes or less to decide if a house is right for them, and 27% said they go with their gut over pausing and thinking. Additionally, 49% have walked away from a home immediately due to a minor issue.
Does Upsizing in Retirement Help Build Generational Wealth?
While many Americans in the past have chosen to downsize in retirement, it may be becoming more common to upsize instead.
Today's housing market is threatening the future of generational wealth, according to Realtor.com, which cites that the cost of a modest starter home is pushing $1 million in more than half the country. With these high prices, younger buyers are being priced out, and many must turn to family for financial help.
Instead of downsizing, some retirees have chosen to upsize by buying bigger homes with their adult children, allowing them to pass on wealth to the next generation.