US Buyers Navigate 14-Month Cost High

By Late-Q3, the typical US buyer's monthly payment reached $2.6K, a 14-mo high, as mortgage costs climbed and median sale prices held firm.
The national median home-sale price ↑~2% yearly to ~$399K, adding affordability pressure and helping keep pending sales flat MoM and lower yearly.
Mortgage-purchase applications were slightly lower recently, while new listings fell MoM around holiday timing but still stayed modestly above the comparable 2025 period.
Seller strategy mattered more: ~21% of active listings cut prices, and an agent noted sharper pricing helped attract attention while overpricing created hesitation.
Inventory also improved, with active supply ↑~2% yearly to 1.5M homes and supply near 4 mo, still shy of a balanced market.