September was the worst month for pending home sales since they’ve been tracked.

October 20, 2026, 6:35 PM

There has never been a worse month for pending home sales than September 2026.

Data released Tuesday shows the housing market weakening sharply, squeezed by rising mortgage rates and elevated home prices.

Pending home sales fell 7.3% in September from the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). It was the lowest reading in the history of the Pending Home Sales Index, which began in 2001.

In this April 7, 2026, file photo, a "For Sale" sign is posted outside a property in Pasadena, Calif.

Mario Tama/Getty Images, FILE

Mortgage rates have also moved higher.…