August 2026 Home Sales Report
August 2026 Home Sales Report
August Home Sales Slide as Affordability Continues to Decline
Date: September 24, 2026
August 2026 at a glance
Existing home sales fell 8.3% in August compared to statewide
closings in August 2025, reversing the upward trend in sales for June and July. This was due in part to record-low affordability in the state. Tight inventories continued to put strong upward pressure on home prices. The median price rose to $362,000, which is a 7.1% increase over the past 12 months.
August home sales fell in every region of the state, with double-digit declines in the 11.9% to 14.5% range in the more rural Central, North and West regions. The Southeast region slid 9.2% compared to August 2025 sales, whereas the Northeast region fell 6.2%, and the South Central region was down just 0.9% over that same period.
On a year-to-date basis, sales growth remained positive, growing 3.2% compared to the first eight months of 2025, and the median price rose 7.3% to $348,838.
Both new listings and total listings grew at a modest pace over the last year, and months of inventory increased slightly to 4.4 months of supply. This indicates a seller’s advantage as the supply is well below the six-month benchmark that signals a balanced housing market.
The average monthly 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.67% in August, which is slightly higher than a year earlier when the rate was 6.59%. However, it should be noted that the average rate is 62 basis points higher than February 2026 when it was 6.05%.
Affordability fell 6.5% in August, which is the sixth straight month of decline. The combination of rising mortgage rates, rapid appreciation of home prices, and very slight income growth has pushed affordability to its lowest level since the WRA began tracking affordability in 2009.
Additional analysis
Still a Strong Summer Market for Sales
“Even though sales fell in August, closings for the peak season for housing remain the strongest since 2022. This is true for the May-through-August period as well as the traditional summer period of June through August.”
Amy Curler, 2026 Chair of the Board of Directors, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Tight Supply and High Mortgage Rates Drive Down Affordability
“Home prices are up by more than twice the rate of inflation over the last year, and this combined with the steady increase in mortgage rates since February is eroding affordability. This hits first-time buyers especially hard since they rely heavily on financing to buy their first home. Hopefully we start seeing rates fall as we move into the off-peak season for home sales.”
Tom Larson, President & CEO, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Inventory Is Slowly Improving
“Although months of inventory still show a seller’s market, the monthly measure has steadily improved on a year-over-year basis since the end of 2022. The oldest Baby Boomers are now 80 years old, and the youngest are 62. As Boomers age, their demand for single-family detached housing will decrease, and this will continue to eventually accelerate the inventory improvement trend seen over the last four years.”
Dave Clark, Professor Emeritus of Economics and WRA Consultant
About the WRA
The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association is one of the largest trade associations in the state, representing over 17,500 real estate brokers, salespeople and affiliates statewide. All county figures on sales volume and median prices are compiled by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association and are not seasonally adjusted. Median prices are only computed if the county recorded at least 10 home sales in the quarter. All data collected by the WRA is subject to revision if more complete data becomes available. Beginning in June 2018, all historical sales volume and median price data from 2015 forward at the county level have been re-benchmarked using the Relitix system that accesses MLS data directly and in real-time. Data prior to January 2015 is derived from the Techmark system that also accessed MLS data directly. The Wisconsin Housing Affordability Index is updated monthly with the most recent data on median housing prices, mortgage rates and estimated median family income data for Wisconsin. Data on state foreclosure activity is compiled by Dr. Russ Kashian at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Note that the WRA employs a slightly different protocol to determine inventory levels than the protocol used by the REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin (RASCW). For consistency, the summary tables for the South Central region reported in the WRA release employ the WRA approach. However, a modified table employing the RASCW methodology is available from the WRA upon request.
Housing Stats by Month
Number of Home Sales
Median Price
Please Note: Data is updated daily and may not reflect numbers reported in press releases.