U.S. Home Sales Plunge in January, Worst Decline in Years

Housing Market Weakness Extends Into 2026

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell sharply in January 2026, declining 8.4 percent from December 2025 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported this week. The drop marked the steepest monthly decline in nearly four years and pushed sales to their lowest level since late 2023.

The January figure was 4.4 percent below the year-earlier pace, with weakness spread across all four major regions. The pullback came even as borrowing…