Pending home sales hit record low
“However, increasing energy prices and the resulting inflationary pressure are highly uncertain.”
Sam Williamson of First American says September’s 3.7% inflation reading has increased the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month, adding pressure to mortgage affordability and rates. https://t.co/hXzUWxW960
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) October 14, 2026
The impact on broker pipelines is tangible. Kevin Oto, broker owner at Green Haven Capital, detailed the challenge of buyer hesitation in Mortgage Professional America this week, noting that fully qualified buyers are increasingly stalling at the finish line.
“Buyers who surmount every financial hurdle present some of my hardest conversations, these days,” Oto said.
“They have the income, the assets, the credit and a home payment they can afford, and they still hesitate.”
All four regions decline as West leads retreat
Contract signings fell in every major US region in September. The West recorded the steepest monthly drop at 9.2%, followed by the South at 8.2%, the Midwest at 6.5%, and the Northeast at 4.2%.
