The number of new real‑estate listings in the United States rose by 3% year‑over‑year over the four weeks ending April 19.
Will the U.S. real‑estate market bloom with the arrival of spring?
Redfin data shows that this was the largest increase since last November.
The number of ongoing home sales transactions fell by 1,2% year‑over‑year, recording the smallest decline in about a month.
For comparison, in March about 53 000 home sales transactions were cancelled in the United States, accounting for 13.4% of all homes under contract during that period.
We wrote more about this in the article: Bleak real‑estate market data. Suddenly 50 000 home sales contracts were cancelled.
With the arrival of spring, the number of mortgage loan applications for property purchases rose by 10% week‑over‑week.
One of the factors behind this trend was the decline in mortgage interest rates, which translated into a reduction of the median monthly mortgage payment by as much as 1,4% year‑over‑year.
Nevertheless, mortgage rates remain more than twice as high as during the pandemic, and the median home sale price rose by 2% year‑over‑year to $394,687.
A temporary easing of concerns among both sellers and buyers occurred in connection with reports of the approaching end of the war in the Middle East.
“Perhaps this prompted some sellers and buyers to take action because they felt greater confidence in the economic situation,” the Redfin report says.
Adrianna Berlin, a Redfin agent, claims that “although some are holding back from selling or buying in hopes that mortgage rates will plummet, most have accepted the current costs.”
“People who need to move this summer are starting to list their homes for sale or preparing to do so,” she said.
According to Redfin data, homes awaiting sale remain on the market for 46 days, four days longer than a year ago.
Source: Redfin.
Also read: The real‑estate market is cracking. “The year 2026 looks promising for buying a home.”
See also: Harsh real‑estate market data. Home sales suddenly fell by almost 20%
Buying property. Now or never?
Analysis of the U.S. real‑estate market by Redfin and Home Economics showed that the end of April was the best time to list a home for sale.
Importantly, this conclusion should be interpreted in light of many factors that vary by region.
“On the West Coast March is usually the best time to list a home for sale; on the East Coast the best month is usually May,” the report said.
Source: Redfin.
Experts point out that properties listed for sale during this period have an even 18% higher chance of finding a buyer willing to pay more than the original asking price than in other months of the year.
“The end of April is an ideal time for sellers: many buyers enter the market, but there is not yet an excess of competing offers,” said Aziz Sunderji, a Home Economics economist.
By the end of April, the probability of selling a home within two weeks is also 17% higher.
On the other hand, the situation is more complex for buyers.
The median sale price of homes listed at the end of April is 4% higher than the annual average sale price.
“The right time to buy a home depends on the buyer’s flexibility. The number of new listings peaks late spring, but competition among buyers is also most intense then,” said Asad Khan, a Redfin economist.
“Home seekers should start looking earlier. [...] However, for more flexible buyers the number of offers will rise until mid‑summer. In the fall buyers also have greater negotiating power, and although the supply is somewhat limited, there remains a wide selection of homes. For many buyers the ideal time may be somewhere in the middle,” he added.
Source: Redfin.
Also read: Harsh real‑estate market data. 40 000 home sales contracts were cancelled in the month.
See also: Real‑estate prices are no longer falling. 40 000 home sales contracts were cancelled in the month, homes linger on the market for 60 days
