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July new home sales fall again as builders stay cautious on permits

Sales dropped 10.5% month to month to a 607,000 annual rate, while completed units for sale edged down, to about 117,000.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Residential

HousingWire reports that U.S. new home sales in July 2026 missed expectations, sliding 10.5% from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 607,000.

The outlet also noted the year over year comparison, with July 2026 sales down 6.3% versus July 2025, as mortgage rates remain elevated and builders hold back on issuing new housing permits.

HousingWire links the slowdown to pressure on builders, saying that with profit margins falling it is harder for developers to buy down mortgage rates for buyers, and higher mortgage rates increase the cost of doing so.

The report adds that one positive sign for the market is that completed units for sale have peaked and are starting to work down, with the level cited at roughly 117,000, below a typical threshold where builders tend to pull back when completions exceed 120,000.

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