Summary

• New home sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 580,000 in May, missing forecasts.
• Population-adjusted new home sales are down 46.1% compared to the first data recorded in 1963.
• Mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed loan averaged 6.44% in May 2026 according to Freddie Mac.

By Jennifer Nash

According to the Census Bureau, new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 580,000 in May. This represents a 7.3% decline from April's rate of 626,000 and a 6.8% drop from the previous