Agent News, Week of Nov. 2, 2026: Pending Sales Fell 7.3%. How to Coach Clients Who Want to Wait for Lower Rates

Published November 2, 2026

By the Strategies4Agents Editorial Team·Reviewed by Scott Gentry, REALTOR®

Agent News · Week of November 2, 2026

What You’ll Learn

What NAR and Freddie Mac survey data showed for September and late October, as reported
The questions clients are most likely to ask when they want to wait
Five accurate talking points that don't predict or promise
A short client conversation script you can adapt
Compliance reminders on lending ad rules, RESPA, predictions, sourcing and Fair Housing

Agent News · Week of Nov. 2, 2026. This article covers news as it was reported the week it was published. Figures and forecasts may change as new data comes out.

Pending home sales dropped in September, and mortgage rates stayed elevated through October, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Freddie Mac survey data reported by Yahoo Finance. NAR's chief economist said buyers and sellers may be holding back until rates move. That means some of your clients are likely telling you they want to wait. This is a quick guide to what was reported, the questions you're likely to hear, and how to answer them accurately without predicting anything or pushing a decision.

Newspaper business section beside a cup of coffee — Start with what was reported, and who reported it.

What Happened, in Brief

Pending sales fell. In a news release on Oct. 20, 2026, NAR reported that September pending home sales fell 7.3% from August and 11.3% from a year earlier. All four regions declined month over month: Northeast 4.2%, Midwest 6.5%, South 8.2% and West 9.2%. All four were also down year over year, led by the West at 15.0%.
NAR pointed to rates. Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist, said, "Market conditions weakened in September due to fast-rising mortgage rates." He said buyers and sellers "may simply be holding back until mortgage rates move favorably," and that affordability is more affected by mortgage rates than by job and income growth. He also said rates may be peaking, but that energy prices and inflation remain uncertain.
Rates eased slightly last week. Freddie Mac's weekly survey, as reported by Yahoo Finance on Oct. 30, 2026, put the 30-year fixed average at 7.24%, down from 7.32% a week earlier and up from 6.17% a year earlier. The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate steady at its late-October meeting.
Forecasts were reported, not promised. Yahoo Finance reported that the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) expects the 30-year to average 7.3% for the rest of 2026 and Fannie Mae expects 7.4% through year-end. These are forecasts from those organizations. They aren't guarantees, and they aren't something to repeat to clients as a reason to act or wait.

Also in the news: a Bloomberg Intelligence analysis reported by Claims Journal on Oct. 20, 2026 found that average home insurance premiums exceed average property-tax bills in about two-thirds of U.S. counties, and that in Southeastern states premiums can be 2.5 to 4 times the property-tax levy. For clients focused only on rates, it's a reminder that the full monthly cost includes insurance and taxes too.

What Clients May Ask

"Should we wait until rates come down?"
"Are prices going to drop now that sales are slowing?"
"If fewer people are buying, will we have to cut our price?"
"We already own. Should we refinance or do anything?"
"What do the experts think rates will do?"

Two people looking at a laptop together at a dining table — The most common question this week: should we wait for lower rates?

Five Talking Points

Nobody knows when rates will move. Forecasts were reported, and NAR's economist said rates may be peaking, but he also named uncertainty around energy prices and inflation. It's fine to say, "No one can tell you that, including me."
Waiting is a choice with trade-offs, not a strategy that wins by default. The decision depends on the client's timeline, budget, job and comfort with a payment. Help them weigh their own situation instead of the headlines.
A slower market can change negotiations. When fewer buyers are writing offers, some buyers may face less competition and have more room to ask for repairs or concessions, depending on the local market and the home. A4H covers this in what buyers can ask for when homes sit longer.
Sellers may need to revisit pricing and terms. Local data matters more than national headlines. If showings or offers slow, talk through pricing and concessions using local comps, not predictions. See when and how to lower an asking price.
Owners don't need to react to headlines. A change in market rates doesn't change the rate on an existing fixed-rate loan. Refinance questions go to a licensed loan officer. A4H explains what actually changes on a loan when rates move.

Blank note cards and a pen on a white desk — A few talking points keep the conversation accurate and calm.

A Short Client Conversation Script

Use this as a starting point and put it in your own words.

Client: "We saw that sales are down and rates are still high. Should we just wait?"

You: "That's a fair question, and a lot of people are asking it. NAR reported that pending sales fell in September, and its chief economist said many buyers and sellers may be holding back until rates move. Freddie Mac's survey showed rates eased slightly last week, but nobody can say where they'll go from here."

Client: "So what would you do?"

You: "I can't tell you what rates will do, and I don't want you to decide based on a guess. What we can do is look at your timeline, your budget and what's happening in the neighborhoods you care about. A licensed loan officer can show you what a payment looks like today. There's also a plain-English summary of the news that I can send you, with the sources."

Notice what the script doesn't do: it doesn't predict rates or prices, promise savings, suggest the market will turn, or push a decision either way. It cites who said what and leaves the choice with the client.

Person on a phone call standing near an office window — A calm conversation helps clients decide based on their own situation, not the headlines.

Compliance Reminders for Agents

Rates and terms. Don't quote rates, APRs, payment amounts or down payment figures in posts or messages about this news. Under lending advertising rules (Regulation Z), an ad that states a rate generally must state it as an APR, and terms like payment or down payment amounts trigger additional required disclosures. Describe direction instead, such as "mortgage rates rose this fall, per Freddie Mac."
No predictions or urgency. Avoid "rates are about to drop," "prices will fall" or "now is the time." Don't repeat the MBA or Fannie Mae forecasts as advice. Truthful-advertising standards for licensees, including the NAR Code of Ethics for members, and lender rules on unfair or deceptive practices all point the same way.
Cite sources. If you share the pending sales figure, attribute it to NAR and the date. Use short quotes only, and link out rather than copying articles.
RESPA. Point clients to "a licensed loan officer" or "a licensed insurance agent" rather than a specific company. RESPA Section 8 prohibits giving or accepting anything of value for referring settlement-service business. Any co-marketing with a lender should be reviewed by your broker for RESPA compliance.
Fair Housing. When you talk about slower markets in specific areas, describe homes, prices and data, not who lives there or who an area suits. Don't characterize neighborhoods by schools or safety.
Your broker's rules. Follow your brokerage's advertising and social media policies, and your state's license-law advertising rules.

The Client-Ready Version Is in Your S4A Planner

Advice4Homeownership published a consumer version of this story: Housing News, Week of Nov. 2, 2026: Pending Home Sales Fall as Rates Stay High. What a Wait-and-See Market Means for You. It covers what was reported, what a slower market can mean for buyers, sellers and owners, and what's still unclear.

If you use Studio4Agents, it's in the This Week lane of your planner with social posts, an email and a text ready to share under your name, linked back to you. It's labeled with an expiration date so it won't linger in your rotation after the news is old.

Open weekly planner and pen beside a laptop — The client-ready version is already in the This Week lane of the planner.

The Bottom Line

When clients say they want to wait for lower rates, they're not wrong to be cautious, and you don't have to talk them out of it. Explain what was reported, be honest that no one knows what rates will do, help them weigh their own timeline and budget, and send loan questions to a licensed loan officer. That's useful advice, and it keeps you on solid compliance ground.

This article is general information for real estate professionals, not legal or compliance advice. Advertising rules vary by state, brokerage and lender. Check with your broker or compliance team before posting. Sources: NAR, "Pending Home Sales Decreased 7.3% in September" (news release, Oct. 20, 2026); Yahoo Finance, reporting Freddie Mac survey data and MBA and Fannie Mae forecasts (Oct. 30, 2026); Claims Journal, "Home Insurance Tops Property Taxes in Squeeze for US Households," reporting a Bloomberg Intelligence analysis (Oct. 20, 2026).