U.S. New Home Sales Pick Up After Summer, Delayed Data Say

By Ed Frankl

The rate of sales of new homes was relatively flat between September and October last year, but up from the summer, as the Federal Reserve rate-cutting cycle started to pick up. Here are the main takeaways from the delayed report released by the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Tuesday:

--Sales of new single-family homes edged down to 737,000 in October last year, from 738,000 in September, but up from a downwardly revised 711,000 in August.

--A consensus of economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expected 718,000 sales in October.

--Monthly data on sales are volatile and tend to be revised. October's data came with a 14.2% margin of error.

--Compared with October 2024, October 2025 sales were 18.7% higher, the Commerce Department said.

--The estimate for new houses for sale was 488,000 in October, virtually unchanged from the September estimate, the Commerce Department said.

--The combined September and October reports were rescheduled from their original Oct. 24 and Nov. 26 respective dates due to the federal government shutdown.

Write to Ed Frankl at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-13-26 1038ET