Home sales climb as mortgage affordability improves

U.S. home sales rose 5.9% year-over-year in June, with 381,125 homes sold, driven by lower mortgage costs. The median monthly mortgage payment dropped 2.5% to $1,884. New listings increased 3%, while active inventory grew only 0.9%, the slowest annual gain since December 2023. Lower-priced homes led sales and listing growth. Median home value rose 1.1% to $372,057, with homes pending sale up 7.6% year-over-year.