Rising inflation, soaring home prices, and increased mortgage interest rates have combined to cause a slowdown in the U.S. housing market. To help quell inflation, which reached 8.6% as of last measure in May, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by three quarters of a percentage point in June, the
largest interest rate hike since 1994. Higher prices, coupled with 30-year fixed mortgage rates approaching 6%, have exacerbated affordability challenges and rapidly cooled demand, with home sales and mortgage applications falling sharply from a year ago.

• Closed Sales decreased 39.5 percent for Detached homes and 21.8 percent for Attached homes.
• Pending Sales decreased 44.6 percent for Detached homes and 31.2 percent for Attached homes.
• The Median Sales Price was up 14.1 percent to $1,084,000 for Detached homes and 19.3 percent to $699,000 for Attached homes.
• Days on Market increased 8.3 percent for Detached homes and 22.2 percent for Attached homes.
• Supply increased 28.6 percent for Detached homes and 18.2 percent for Attached homes.

With monthly mortgage payments up more than 50% compared to this time last year, the rising costs of homeownership have sidelined many prospective buyers. Nationally, the median sales price of existing homes recently exceeded $400,000 for the first time ever, a 15% increase from the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. As existing home sales continue to soften nationwide, housing supply is slowly improving, with inventory up for the second straight month. In time, price growth is expected to moderate as supply grows; for now, however, inventory remains low, and buyers are feeling the squeeze of higher prices all around.