Realtor.com: contracts down 10.5%, inventory up 7.4% heading into winter
Summary
Realtor.com's October housing report, covered by RISMedia on Nov. 5, 2026, shows homes under contract down 10.5% year over year and new listings down 7.5%, while active inventory rose 7.4% to 1,183,500 homes. The national median list price was $415,000, down 2.2%, and 20.5% of listings had price cuts. Thirty-year mortgage rates averaged 7.33%. Economist Jake Krimmel called it "more of a pause than an exodus."
TopCloserR Perspective
The takeaway
Buyers are pulling back because of rates, but sellers aren't fleeing. More homes are sitting on the market without deep price cuts. That's a pricing conversation for listing agents and a negotiating opening for buyer agents.
Who gets the most from this
- In the role
- With contracts down and inventory up, expect longer days on market and harder pricing talks with sellers.
- Aspiring
- New agents building their first book of clients — A slower market rewards agents who know the numbers; learn them and use them in every consultation.
- In the role
- Your team's pipeline will thin into the holidays, so plan activity and coaching around a cooler market.
- Aspiring
- Producing agents moving into team leadership — Show you can keep a team productive when deal flow slows.
Put it to work
- Bring the price-cut data to listing conversationsIndependent Sales Professional
Show sellers that 20.5% of listings cut prices and that contracts are down 10.5%, then talk about pricing to sell.
- Work your stale listings before the holidaysIndependent Sales Professional
Sellers aren't delisting broadly, so call owners of homes still on the market and review pricing and strategy with them.
- Reset your team's winter targetsSales Manager
Adjust activity goals for slower contract signings and focus coaching on pricing and negotiation.
Recommendations
More Field & Industry Sales news