US Cash Home Sales Fall to 31.4% in Early 2026 as Lower Rates Draw Financed Buyers Back
Updated
Updated · Realtor.com News · Aug 17
US Cash Home Sales Fall to 31.4% in Early 2026 as Lower Rates Draw Financed Buyers Back
2 articles · Updated · Realtor.com News · Aug 17
Summary
Cash purchases made up 31.4% of U.S. home sales in January-April 2026, down 0.9 percentage point from a year earlier and below 31.6% for full-year 2025.
11.2% fewer cash sales changed hands from a year earlier, a steeper drop than the 8.5% decline in total sales, as easing housing costs and softer mortgage rates pulled some mortgage-dependent buyers back.
0.2% national median price growth shows how far the market has cooled, down from 1.8% in 2025 and a 15.4% peak in 2021, even as sellers still value cash for faster, more certain closings.
Pittsburgh, Austin and San Francisco were standout metros where cash transaction counts actually rose; San Francisco's increase was tied to AI-driven tech wealth, while Pittsburgh posted the biggest gain nationally.
47.2% of sales in Mississippi were cash deals, the highest state share, underscoring that cash remains concentrated in low-price markets, luxury tiers and rebalancing Sun Belt areas despite the national pullback.