An index of contract signings decreased 9.3% to 71.8 last month, according to data released on Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). “The housing sector is not out of the woods yet,” NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. While NAR adjusts the data for these patterns, the drop was still the largest for any December in data back to 2001. Pending-homes sales tend to be a leading indicator for previously owned homes, as houses typically go under contract a month or two before they’re sold. Wednesday’s report showed contract signings dropped in all four regions, including double-digit slides in three.

Source: The Edge Markets January 21, 2026 16:07 UTC