Home-purchase activity remained elevated from 2024, but a cloudy economic outlook has deterred some would-be homebuyers. 

After years of fast-paced home sales, tight inventory and relentless price growth, the U.S. housing market may finally be entering a new chapter.

Geographically, the only region to post a monthly increase in pending sales was the Northeast, where they rose 2.1%, according to NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index.

Nationally, the pace of home-price appreciation declined to its slowest pace in almost two years, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. 

A new report from U-Haul identified Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Detroit, St. Louis and Dallas as the top cities of origin for new Chicagoans.  

The inventory of new homes for sale surged year over year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.    

Real estate economist Matthew Gardner joins Agent Publishing Co-Publisher Anne Hartnett to unpack the biggest housing trends from the second quarter, plus the potential impact of a new Fed chair and the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

At the same time, the pace of existing-home sales declined from May’s level. 

The median-sale price of suburban Chicago homes continued to rise in June. 

Nationally, home sales rose 5.7% year over year and 1.3% month over month, RE/MAX said. 

New single-family home construction declined as builders continue to grapple with macroeconomic headwinds. 

Purchase applications slowed to their lowest level since May as economic worries dampened activity, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. 

Chicago’s housing inventory continues to rise, thanks in part to a boost in new-home construction in the market.

May’s 1.8% monthly gain follows a 6.3% drop in April, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

The pace of home-price appreciation slowed to its most modest pace since 2023, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. 

The median-sales price for an existing home rose 1.3% year over year to $422,800.