# Home Sales in October Plummet to 16-Year Low

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-11-12 15:40 UTC · Category: Business

## Executive Summary
U.S. existing-home sales fell 5.5% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million, the slowest pace since August 2010, as mortgage rates surged above 7%.

## Intelligence Brief
The National Association of Realtors reported Thursday that total existing-home sales, including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million in October, a 5.5% decline from September's revised 3.97 million and an 8.8% drop from October 2025. The figure missed economists' forecast of 3.85 million and marks the lowest sales pace since August 2010, when the market was still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, according to NAR and multiple outlets including AP News, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance and The Wall Street Journal.


NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun attributed the slump to mortgage rates that have climbed to their highest levels since 2000, aside from a single month in 2023. "Home buying is difficult when mortgage rates have climbed to their highest levels since 2000, aside from a single month in 2023," Yun said. "As a result, home sales fell to their lowest level since August 2010." Mortgage rates crossed 7% in September, and because homes typically go under contract a month or two before closing, October sales reflect buyers who locked in rates above that threshold, Yahoo Finance reported.


Sales declined month-over-month in the Midwest, South and West while holding steady in the Northeast, NAR said. Year-over-year sales fell in all four regions, with the West posting a particularly steep 14.5% decline and the Northeast dropping 4.1%, according to Yahoo Finance. Despite the slowdown, Yun noted that the 88 million homeowners nationwide remain in a comfortable financial position due to sizable housing wealth accumulation, and distressed property sales remain historically low at just 2% of transactions. Kitco reported that spot gold fell to $3,864.78 an ounce, down 3.08% on the day, following the weaker-than-expected housing data.


Yun warned that the dismal October data and persistently elevated mortgage rates mean 2026 home sales are likely to come in below 2025's level of 4.06 million, reaching a more than three-decade low. However, he added that "based on the current underwhelming home sales pace at a time of consistent job growth, there could be sizable pent-up demand if mortgage rates decline."

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo Finance | US existing home sales slump to more than 16-year low in October | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxOQ1dTNHdOd2NXZnJoSVBJLTdCNk9PZlktMURfU1MwYWRvZl9kSjlZMkhDVjNUQzdpdFJyWHZHdnBnWWxxRnUybEJ5RmlzbzdESUptclZWWHFOaGVmZllLU2pHZGRfT25xbWVpVDJLRE9FR3VqaGVoM3hrSGIxbUlwd05HbEMxeDIxekZiM3RXbGNzdU5m?oc=5) |
| MarketWatch | Home sales plummet to lowest level since ‘Great Recession’ as prices hit all-time high | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiyAFBVV95cUxObXBRYUNlWjhzUDlLeXhib0xZZjlXd1dGZHRKNnpNcng4dFRtcDVPb1ZvNjlJcFdzWTRZMHNyUU1Rb1I3X0JDNG5FSmdSX0NzZDlfUXh6MVFqdWdBNi1YTUpsN0ltWHhEa3dqWHZrYnFoVG5vM2RMZVpNQnFDa2N2S081cXROMGM3UUtMd3g4czN1MFBnT3NqcUNnRWo5LW1LSWYzRzhzcDlkRkpYaElGejlVNEZOVkJfbTRmdDViWk1fQ2syYkZ2UA?oc=5) |
| Kitco | Spot gold slides to $3,864/oz after U.S. existing-home sales fall 5.5% to 3.75 million in October | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxPdy1Xem5KZmkzdExBSmUzMmRnOGpRQ1g5d0J1S3dfOHNtRWNNYXh4MXV2Y2tnYm1reENvZlh0NGUxY0ZncVVwUG5IRjI4em1YLWlCQWV5NllpckgzUW5qRVYwR1VCYnZLVkN1N05qWWtpOGluZWJSMi1JcGdIaC1lOV9XSWZpbjdkbGxGMnlyRm85UmFfQWZFWlZiWUdnaHJmLUNHMXh5czRNLUN5SEhnT3FEZjhyWlBMS2c?oc=5) |
| National Association of REALTORS® | Existing-Home Sales Decreased 5.5% in October, According to NAR Report | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxQVVBxZDhsQTcyRVl4ek81T2k5WlM1ZVdLNXhJWHNSNjNNZUNzSnpTc0tKMTBSeTdkMUttTWgzcTRsR1QtNHFEbWdOdzhFUlByZFY3bWNpN0NpOUo1bk5sTW1xbWFwYmtRSXZnRFBpSncxMDdGX2hqUnNfeVhoakRwajlQZHNKcURyRExoVkRTdUxpek1UWXZZeQ?oc=5) |
| AP News | US home sales slumped in October to slowest pace in more than 16 years as mortgage rates surged | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxOS09PUFNBenprT295anI3ajZuQVFRMDlNZVFsN3JGLWE4akFsZTJvWExXeHdIZ1ZYbDVEdHNaQTJ0WVhnZ25PZ2NNSzJnTlU5MXBHOGZ5NmYtbGJHdVBfOHd6SkJYM0dXRWRaNVlsTUV4elhjTVFEYTk1aEJrSU9xSjVrdGJZYl9IVk51MVlVcTdfZC0wQ216a2ZZX2daamNIRml5dGZBa1EzVnUxVGVuekNqV09WWFZWU1E?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Finance | 'A tough market': Home sales fall to lowest level since 2010 as high mortgage rates paralyze activity | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi8AFBVV95cUxQb2VRVlZtSG1zNzktLW4wYnVGbnBCd2F6bTRZSXptSmpHeC1ScDhEZHVhX1hKZm9wZTFtOWNrQUU5ZDg5MkhXYlc4M1hHOXduNEI3bkJtS1piQVhmR1JwN2pUMDhkMTFsLXFxVHU3VkVJcE1ZRzRoZm9xSGhRd1FCS3hoY2E5OXdHUEU1QTJkRi1LcmQzcEdZcHNxZm5zVTdnak1wcmNfR0xhMEpzMHZ4d244NzRUdjc4Snk0LWotOFFFdHNndlNTemljTG5LV3huUE5MZ1FfV18xMzRWbFN2ck5hSmRQRVhOaFhqVnRoOHU?oc=5) |
| WTOP News | American Cancer Society urges middle-aged men to get regular screening for prostate cancer | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxOVEtGOHV5MEkzN3J5RnRKbHFDUDVxRGkwXzdaaHFGVXVLbjJoTGhYMWxiWGktdVh0bVEwa012dExMSEVZRTBMRXVHVVdwNnRvSzNzdjhnektrR0xMWTN1S19hVklNT1pRRW9nMkRvNHcxVUxTRXRZRVRoTnhNeVoxVjVfdW8wTnVfajNjNGV1LVBvekUxUUpZck16U25UZnlpYlhvRlBJRGs0bWwyRS1pV3pYX3BQam03REtnRWZxQXNBNjA?oc=5) |
| Bloomberg.com | Sales of Existing US Homes Tumble to Lowest Level Since 2010 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisAFBVV95cUxPWUJUWHJCWHNlZEFGRFlpMXkzeWxNeDBraDBxNm9RLVFWX0s0bDdMZTI3WS15eGwxbXh1WFdrSFYxNkRYbnBuOWppNmJsTXR5ZTJXNmIyRHZ3SFBWbmdfb0Z0SnBSMUZ1dVpyX2ZJRTc4UjBfTTdWdkNnM0xUZGYxek45QTB0OC1LWW5vN3VGd0xfMVExUDRWQ1RIWkVFTFF1ZTcwUk0zdTRiM1dnUUtjSQ?oc=5) |
| Quartz | U.S. existing home sales fell to lowest level since 2010 in October | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidkFVX3lxTFBsdl9TOURMSFkwWUNVc3lLVS1kN3ZDNlUzdFZ0ZTZlcTVFRnl5R3JSc1VKWVFwd3YtNWZDQUJmTDRxell2bElkVTJ4djI4czhPaWQ4R2NRZW9uT2JpaFlscjNjTUpubmJ1TXl4UnVzd1d1d1hHaGc?oc=5) |
| CNBC | Home listings pile up in October, but sellers won't slash prices | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxNNG9vUG9nUUFvdm9heU5Kck96b3JRaXQxNWVaMmdHelRkRE9rZlNXRU94MGJtdm1SMlEzdWdwQm9neENCa0hjbGpaUndER1pnYXVyT2s0OHhhdDY5RGhDX2x3RlRWOFYzaGFwNHU1b09RWXJIR0ZpajlTekExbklhYzh2dWRQUVFzLVBRT3M5M1Q0SzZsTG5hR0VMS3hNbkNr?oc=5) |
| WSJ | Home Sales in October Plummet to 16-Year Low | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxNZ0E1TUlWR2V2SmJvZV9yczFEWkRydkltZW9JWVlma25Vcms0YVhpRFVaa05zdFRNckF5R2c5MDQ5UTRzVTgxNU1xSk9HNlBiUXdodzhodGZsZklJN296NzZsbHNiRThZeHN0NjJKaGJKMU5LelhBOERKWUdnTkVzNUZNdVZTTXZRZzdIY1JhcU8tTWc?oc=5) |

---
*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-11-12/home-sales-in-october-plummet-to-16-year-low*