Sales of new US single-family homes rose 6.4% in August to an eight-month high, according to the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate reached 684,000 units, the highest level since December 2025.
July's sales pace was revised up to 643,000 units from an earlier estimate of 607,000. Economists polled by Reuters had expected an August rate of 615,000, making the latest reading substantially stronger than forecast.
Sales jumped sharply in the Midwest and increased in the South, while falling in the Northeast and West. On a year-over-year basis, total new-home sales were still down 2%.
The median new-house price fell 5.8% from a year earlier to $393,700. Elevated mortgage rates and a large inventory of unsold new homes continue to weigh on the broader housing market.