How Many Home Deals Were Signed in September? Tuesday's Number Explained
The National Association of Realtors will release Pending Home Sales for September 2026 at 10 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. NAR
Pending means a signed deal that has not closed yet. It rose 0.3% from July to August, according to NAR. Existing-home sales means a closed deal. Those rose 1.5% in September 2026. The September closings number came out before the September pending number.
On sellers, 19% of NAR members expect more seller traffic, per National Mortgage Professional. That is unchanged from last month and down from 20% in September 2024.
What comes next is fixed. October closings will be released at 10 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, November 12, 2026, according to NAR. NAR's 2026 schedule lists October pending for Wednesday, November 18, and November closings for Wednesday, December 9. NAR 2026 Schedule
The broader context here is timing. Like an order ticket before the bill, September pending is September orders. September closings are earlier orders just now paid, after some deals fall through or take longer. Timing matters. Comparing the two helps. A soft or firm pending number does not change September closings. It sets the start for October and November closings.
In my view, August tells us little. A 0.3% move is small next to normal revisions and seasonal noise. The 1.5% closings gain is bigger, but the two cannot be compared directly. They are different steps, with different seasonal math and timing. Read them as neighbors, not confirmation.
Looking at how to use it, look at the level, revisions and mix, not just the headline. See if September holds, reverses or builds on August. Seller expectations were flat at 19%, unchanged from last month and below last year's 20%, so no sign of stronger seller momentum. That does not predict contracts. It tells you to be careful blaming supply if pending surprises.
On process, use October 20 pending to think about November 12 closings, then update when October pending comes November 18. Keep months separate. Do not mix September signed deals with September closed deals.
