Existing-home sales increased by 5.1% in December, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Existing-Home Sales Report. The report provides data on the level of home sales, price, and inventory.
Month-over-month sales increased in all regions. Year-over-year sales increased in the South, remained flat in the Midwest and West, and decreased in the Northeast.
“2025 was another tough year for homebuyers, marked by record-high home prices and historically low home sales,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “However, in the fourth quarter, conditions began improving, with lower mortgage rates and slower home price growth. December home sales, after adjusting for seasonal factors, were the strongest in nearly three years. The gains were broad-based, with all four major regions improving from the prior month.”
The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in December was 6.19%, according to Freddie Mac, down from 6.24% in November and 6.72% one year ago.
“Inventory levels remain tight,” Yun noted. “With fewer sellers feeling eager to move, homeowners are taking their time deciding when to list or delist their homes. Similar to past years, more inventory is expected to come to market beginning in February.”
National Snapshot
Total existing-home sales for December
- 5.1% increase in existing-home sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.35 million.
- 1.4% increase in sales year over year.
Inventory in December
- 1.18 million units (total housing inventory), down 18.1% from November and up 3.5% from December 2024 (1.14 million).
- 3.3-month supply of unsold inventory, down from 4.2 months in November and up from 3.2 months in December 2024.
Median sales price in December
- $405,400 (median existing-home price for all housing types), up 0.4% from one year ago ($403,700)—the 30th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.
Single-family and condo/co-op sales in December
Single-family homes
- 5.1% increase in sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.95 million, up 1.8% from December 2024.
- $409,500 median home price, up 0.2% from last year.
Condominiums and co-ops
- 5.3% increase in sales month over month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 400,000, down 2.4% from last year.
- $364,400 median price, up 1.5% from December 2024.
Regional Snapshot for Existing-Home Sales in December
Northeast
- 2.0% increase in sales month over month to an annual rate of 520,000, down 1.9% year over year.
- $496,700 median price, up 3.7% from December 2024.
Midwest
- 2.0% increase in sales month over month to an annual rate of 1 million, unchanged year over year.
- $306,000 median price, up 3.1% from December 2024.
South
- 6.9% increase in sales month over month to an annual rate of 2.02 million, up 3.6% year over year.
- $360,200 median price, down 0.3% from December 2024.
West
- 6.6% increase in sales month over month for an annual rate of 810,000, unchanged year over year.
- $605,600 median price, down 1.4% from December 2024.
About the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes—from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation—visit facts.realtor.
