A 1.9% rise in prices contrasts with a 1.4% drop in median payments as mortgage rates ease, offering rare relief for buyers in October.

Only 11 U.S. metros outpaced new completions in Q3, as absorption continued to lag across most markets.

Nearly 29% of August homebuyers paid all cash while typical down payments soared to $70,000.

Alternative financing structure gains traction among institutional developers as traditional lending tightens.