- This event has passed.
US New Home Sales August 2026
August 25 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
US New Home Sales August 2026
Next US New Home Sales: Tuesday, at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London). Covers July 2026 data.
- Consensus
- Not yet published
- Actual
- Pending
Full schedule and background: US New Home Sales.
Updated
US New Home Sales for July 2026 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm London time) by the US Census Bureau, jointly with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The report covers new single-family home sales activity during July 2026. Full schedule and background: US New Home Sales dates.
What is New Home Sales?
New Home Sales measures the number of newly built single-family houses sold during the month, expressed as a seasonally-adjusted annual rate (SAAR). A sale is recorded when a buyer signs a contract or makes a deposit, even before construction is complete, which makes this one of the more forward-looking gauges of housing demand available to policymakers and investors.
The Census Bureau and HUD compile the figures from a sample of building permits and, in areas without permit systems, from site visits. Alongside the headline sales rate, the report publishes the median and average sales price, the number of homes for sale, and months’ supply (how long it would take to sell the current inventory at the recent sales pace).
Markets watch this release because new construction feeds directly into GDP, employment in the building trades, and demand for materials and appliances. It is also highly sensitive to mortgage rates, since most new-home buyers finance their purchase, so the series is one of the more direct readings on how borrowing costs are affecting the real economy.
When is the July 2026 New Home Sales report released?
The report is due on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 10:00 am ET (3:00 pm in London). It is published jointly by the Census Bureau and HUD as part of the Monthly New Residential Sales release, available on the Census Bureau’s construction statistics pages. New Home Sales for a given month is typically released around the fourth week of the following month, so a late-August date for July data is in line with the usual schedule.
What is the consensus forecast?
As of the time of writing, a consensus forecast for July 2026 New Home Sales has not yet been published. Economist surveys for this release, run by outlets such as Reuters and Bloomberg, are typically published only a few days before the release date, so a specific number is not yet available. The most recent confirmed data point is the June 2026 report, published on July 24, 2026, which showed new single-family home sales at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 628,000 units, up 1.6% from a revised May 2026 estimate of 618,000, according to the joint Census Bureau and HUD release. That June reading was 5.6% below the June 2025 rate. Months’ supply of new homes stood at 9.3 months in June, slightly below May’s 9.4 months.
| Measure | Prior (June 2026) | Consensus (July 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| New Home Sales (SAAR) | 628,000 | Not yet published |
| Months’ supply | 9.3 months | Not yet published |
What the result could mean
| Scenario | Likely market read | What it means in plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Above consensus | Seen as a sign builders are moving inventory despite higher rates, which some analysts argue could reduce pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut rates quickly if it coincides with firmer prices | More new homes are selling than expected, which can support construction jobs but may keep prices from falling |
| In line with consensus | Typically a limited market reaction, since the print confirms the recent trend rather than changing it | The housing market is behaving broadly as expected, so mortgage rates and builder plans are unlikely to shift much |
| Below consensus | Often read as evidence that high mortgage rates are still weighing on affordability, which economists surveyed by Reuters have flagged as a persistent drag on housing demand | Fewer buyers are committing to new homes, which can eventually feed through to weaker construction activity and job losses in the sector |
Why does this release matter right now?
New Home Sales has been volatile through 2026 as buyers weigh elevated mortgage rates against improving builder incentives. Fannie Mae and the Mortgage Bankers Association have projected 30-year fixed mortgage rates averaging around 6.3% through 2026, according to reporting cited by industry housing forecasts, a level that continues to price some buyers out of the market. Builders have responded with rate buydowns and price incentives to keep sales moving, which is part of why the sales rate has held up even as affordability remains stretched.
The Federal Reserve watches new construction data closely because housing is one of the most interest-rate-sensitive parts of the economy. A run of weak New Home Sales prints would add to the case, made by some housing economists, that the impact of past rate cuts has not yet fully worked through to home construction. A run of strong prints would suggest the sector is stabilising despite still-elevated borrowing costs.
What It Means for Your Money
- Mortgages and rates: A weak New Home Sales report can add to expectations of further Federal Reserve rate cuts, which over time tends to filter through to mortgage rates in the US and, indirectly, to sentiment in the UK and eurozone bond markets that influence fixed-rate mortgage pricing there.
- Savings: Softer housing data that raises the odds of rate cuts can eventually mean lower returns on cash savings accounts and money market funds, since these tend to track central bank policy.
- Jobs and wages: Construction, real estate and related trades employ millions of workers. A sustained slowdown in new home sales can reduce hiring and overtime in the building trades, while a pickup can support wage growth in those sectors.
- Prices: Homebuilder price incentives and mortgage buydowns reported alongside sales data give a real-time read on whether housing costs, a major part of inflation, are easing or holding firm.
- Investments, pensions and currencies: Homebuilder shares and housing-related exchange-traded funds often move on this data. A surprise reading can also move the dollar against the pound and euro if it shifts expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next move, which in turn affects the value of US assets held in pension funds outside America.
Related events
- US Existing Home Sales, published monthly by the National Association of Realtors
- US Housing Starts and Building Permits, published monthly by the Census Bureau
- Federal Reserve interest rate decisions, which shape the mortgage rates that drive new home demand
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is US New Home Sales released?
The July 2026 report is due at 10:00 am ET, which is 3:00 pm in London, on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
How should I read the New Home Sales number?
Focus on the seasonally-adjusted annual rate and its change from the prior month, and check the margin of error the Census Bureau publishes, since month-to-month swings in this survey are often within the statistical noise range.
Does New Home Sales affect interest rate decisions?
Yes, the Federal Reserve tracks housing data as part of its broader assessment of how higher borrowing costs are affecting the economy, though this single release is unlikely to be decisive on its own.
Where is the official New Home Sales release published?
The Census Bureau publishes the full release, including data tables, on its construction statistics website, jointly with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
When is the next New Home Sales report after this one?
The following report, covering August 2026 data, is typically released around the fourth week of September 2026, following the Census Bureau’s usual monthly schedule.