U.S. Home Sales Drop to Lowest Level Since 2023
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 7 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy RKT?
Source: Newsfilter
- Pending Sales Decline: Pending home sales fell 0.9% month-over-month in January, reaching the lowest level since November 2023, indicating that elevated housing costs have significantly curtailed buyer demand and market activity.
- Existing Home Sales Drop: Existing home sales declined to an annualized rate of 4.2 million, a 3.6% month-over-month drop, marking the largest decrease since November 2022, which reflects buyer caution amid economic uncertainty and high prices.
- Price Growth Slows: The median sale price of homes rose 1.1% year-over-year to $422,921 in January, although this growth remains below the double-digit increases seen during the pandemic, with an oversupply of homes giving buyers more negotiating power.
- Market Activity Weakens: Homes spent an average of 66 days on the market in January, the slowest pace in a decade, highlighting that the number of sellers far exceeds buyers, leading to a significant slowdown in sales velocity.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy RKT?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on RKT
Wall Street analysts forecast RKT stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 18.450
Low
18.00
Averages
22.18
High
25.00
Current: 18.450
Low
18.00
Averages
22.18
High
25.00
About RKT
Rocket Companies, Inc. is a fintech platform including mortgage, real estate and personal finance businesses: Rocket Mortgage, Redfin, Mr. Cooper, Rocket Homes, Rocket Close, Rocket Money, and Rocket Loans. The Company's full suite of products empowers its clients across financial wellness, personal loans, home search, mortgage finance, title and closing. Through these businesses, it delivers client solutions leveraging its Rocket platform. It operates in two segments: Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. In the Direct to Consumer segment, clients have the ability to interact with Rocket Mortgage digitally and/or with the Company's mortgage bankers. It provides client service and leverages its brand to strengthen its wholesale relationships, through Rocket Pro, as well as enterprise partnerships, both driving growth in its Partner Network segment. The Company's capabilities span the entirety of homeownership, such as home search, financing, title, closing and servicing.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
U.S. Home Sales Drop to Lowest Level Since 2023
- Pending Sales Decline: Pending home sales fell 0.9% month-over-month in January, reaching the lowest level since November 2023, indicating that elevated housing costs have significantly curtailed buyer demand and market activity.
- Existing Home Sales Drop: Existing home sales declined to an annualized rate of 4.2 million, a 3.6% month-over-month drop, marking the largest decrease since November 2022, which reflects buyer caution amid economic uncertainty and high prices.
- Price Growth Slows: The median sale price of homes rose 1.1% year-over-year to $422,921 in January, although this growth remains below the double-digit increases seen during the pandemic, with an oversupply of homes giving buyers more negotiating power.
- Market Activity Weakens: Homes spent an average of 66 days on the market in January, the slowest pace in a decade, highlighting that the number of sellers far exceeds buyers, leading to a significant slowdown in sales velocity.
See More
Amazon Ends Losing Streak as Investors Eye Market Trends
- Amazon Stock Rebound: Amazon shares rose over 1% yesterday, breaking a nine-day losing streak that saw an 18% drop and over $450 billion in market cap erased, despite skepticism surrounding its $200 billion capital expenditure plan.
- Billionaire Investor Moves: Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in a regulatory filing that it reduced its Apple stake in Q4 while establishing a position in the New York Times, leading to a more than 3% increase in the media company's shares during extended trading, indicating investor interest in the media sector.
- Netflix Financing Plan: Netflix secured $59 billion in financing from Wall Street banks to support its $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking one of the largest loans in history and highlighting the consolidation trend in the streaming industry.
- Meta-Nvidia Partnership Expansion: Meta announced an expansion of its partnership with Nvidia to utilize its AI chips for data center development and to enhance networking technology and AI features on WhatsApp, although financial terms were not disclosed, this signifies a deepening collaboration between the two tech giants.
See More
Amazon Stock Rebounds, Market Sentiment Improves
- Amazon Stock Rebound: Amazon shares rose over 1% yesterday, breaking a nine-day losing streak that saw an 18% drop and over $450 billion in market cap erased, indicating market skepticism regarding its future capital expenditures.
- Investor Movements: Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in a regulatory filing that it reduced its stake in Apple in Q4 while establishing a position in the New York Times, which saw its shares jump over 3% in after-hours trading, reflecting renewed interest in media stocks.
- Warner Bros. Deal Progress: Warner Bros. Discovery announced the restart of deal talks with Paramount, facilitated by a seven-day waiver from Netflix, aimed at addressing deficiencies in Paramount's offer, potentially impacting M&A dynamics in the media sector.
- Meta and Nvidia Partnership Expansion: Meta announced an expansion of its deal with Nvidia to utilize millions of AI chips for data center build-out, although financial terms were not disclosed, this move underscores the ongoing investment and collaboration potential among major tech companies in the AI space.
See More
Dan Loeb's Third Point Investment Moves in Q4
- New Portfolio Investments: Third Point acquired 4.73 million shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, 825,000 shares of Alibaba, and 100,000 shares of Spotify in Q4, indicating a strong interest in the food and tech sectors, which may enhance the diversity and potential returns of its investment portfolio.
- Increased Stake in Rocket Companies: The hedge fund raised its stake in Rocket Companies from 4 million to 9.52 million shares, reflecting increased confidence in the real estate services market, which is expected to boost its market share and profitability in this sector.
- Reduction Strategy: Third Point reduced its stake in PG&E from 50.1 million shares to 34.3 million shares, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's prospects, which may impact its future earnings performance.
- Other Investment Moves: The fund also increased its holdings in Union Pacific and Nvidia, from 880,000 to 1.81 million shares and from 2.85 million to 2.95 million shares respectively, demonstrating ongoing optimism in the transportation and tech sectors, which could lead to long-term capital appreciation.
See More
Leon Cooperman Increases Stake in Rocket Companies
- Massive Stake Increase: Leon Cooperman's Omega Advisors built a significant stake in Rocket Companies during the final months of 2025, purchasing over $375 million worth of shares in the fourth quarter, making it the fund's largest holding valued at nearly $407 million, indicating strong confidence in the company.
- Stock Performance: Although Rocket shares were marginally lower in Q4 2025, they surged nearly 72% over the year, reflecting optimistic market expectations for future growth, despite a 4% decline at the start of 2026.
- Analyst Expectations: According to analysts polled by LSEG, while most maintain a hold rating on Rocket, the average price target suggests more than 15% upside potential, indicating market anticipation for a rebound.
- Other Investment Moves: Cooperman also more than doubled his stake in Occidental Petroleum to over $28 million and increased his position in KBR by over 20%, raising its value above $85 million, while completely exiting his position in ArriVent Biopharma, showcasing a dynamic adjustment in his investment portfolio.
See More
Potential Major Changes in Mortgage Industry as Regulatory Outlook Shifts
- Market Share Shift: According to Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman, there has been a significant decline in banks' share of mortgage origination and servicing since 2008, with banks originating about 60% of mortgages in 2008, dropping to only 35% by 2023, indicating a reduced role of traditional banks in the mortgage market.
- Regulatory Policy Changes: Bowman proposed removing the requirement to deduct mortgage servicing assets from regulatory capital while maintaining a 250% risk weight on those assets, which could alter banks' capital structures and change the risk management approach for mortgage loans.
- Competitive Landscape Changes: With these regulatory adjustments, non-bank lenders like Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage may face increased competitive pressure from traditional banks, forcing them to defend their margins and potentially leading to lower market prices for consumers.
- Market Outlook: The new regulatory framework could incentivize banks to re-enter the mortgage market more aggressively, particularly for loans sold to or guaranteed by government-sponsored entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, thereby reshaping the competitive dynamics of the real estate market and impacting consumer loan costs.
See More
U.S. Home Sales Drop to Lowest Level Since 2023
- Pending Sales Decline: Pending home sales fell 0.9% month-over-month in January, reaching the lowest level since November 2023, indicating that elevated housing costs have significantly curtailed buyer demand and market activity.
- Existing Home Sales Drop: Existing home sales declined to an annualized rate of 4.2 million, a 3.6% month-over-month drop, marking the largest decrease since November 2022, which reflects buyer caution amid economic uncertainty and high prices.
- Price Growth Slows: The median sale price of homes rose 1.1% year-over-year to $422,921 in January, although this growth remains below the double-digit increases seen during the pandemic, with an oversupply of homes giving buyers more negotiating power.
- Market Activity Weakens: Homes spent an average of 66 days on the market in January, the slowest pace in a decade, highlighting that the number of sellers far exceeds buyers, leading to a significant slowdown in sales velocity.
See More
Amazon Ends Losing Streak as Investors Eye Market Trends
- Amazon Stock Rebound: Amazon shares rose over 1% yesterday, breaking a nine-day losing streak that saw an 18% drop and over $450 billion in market cap erased, despite skepticism surrounding its $200 billion capital expenditure plan.
- Billionaire Investor Moves: Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in a regulatory filing that it reduced its Apple stake in Q4 while establishing a position in the New York Times, leading to a more than 3% increase in the media company's shares during extended trading, indicating investor interest in the media sector.
- Netflix Financing Plan: Netflix secured $59 billion in financing from Wall Street banks to support its $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking one of the largest loans in history and highlighting the consolidation trend in the streaming industry.
- Meta-Nvidia Partnership Expansion: Meta announced an expansion of its partnership with Nvidia to utilize its AI chips for data center development and to enhance networking technology and AI features on WhatsApp, although financial terms were not disclosed, this signifies a deepening collaboration between the two tech giants.
See More
Amazon Stock Rebounds, Market Sentiment Improves
- Amazon Stock Rebound: Amazon shares rose over 1% yesterday, breaking a nine-day losing streak that saw an 18% drop and over $450 billion in market cap erased, indicating market skepticism regarding its future capital expenditures.
- Investor Movements: Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in a regulatory filing that it reduced its stake in Apple in Q4 while establishing a position in the New York Times, which saw its shares jump over 3% in after-hours trading, reflecting renewed interest in media stocks.
- Warner Bros. Deal Progress: Warner Bros. Discovery announced the restart of deal talks with Paramount, facilitated by a seven-day waiver from Netflix, aimed at addressing deficiencies in Paramount's offer, potentially impacting M&A dynamics in the media sector.
- Meta and Nvidia Partnership Expansion: Meta announced an expansion of its deal with Nvidia to utilize millions of AI chips for data center build-out, although financial terms were not disclosed, this move underscores the ongoing investment and collaboration potential among major tech companies in the AI space.
See More
Dan Loeb's Third Point Investment Moves in Q4
- New Portfolio Investments: Third Point acquired 4.73 million shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, 825,000 shares of Alibaba, and 100,000 shares of Spotify in Q4, indicating a strong interest in the food and tech sectors, which may enhance the diversity and potential returns of its investment portfolio.
- Increased Stake in Rocket Companies: The hedge fund raised its stake in Rocket Companies from 4 million to 9.52 million shares, reflecting increased confidence in the real estate services market, which is expected to boost its market share and profitability in this sector.
- Reduction Strategy: Third Point reduced its stake in PG&E from 50.1 million shares to 34.3 million shares, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's prospects, which may impact its future earnings performance.
- Other Investment Moves: The fund also increased its holdings in Union Pacific and Nvidia, from 880,000 to 1.81 million shares and from 2.85 million to 2.95 million shares respectively, demonstrating ongoing optimism in the transportation and tech sectors, which could lead to long-term capital appreciation.
See More
Leon Cooperman Increases Stake in Rocket Companies
- Massive Stake Increase: Leon Cooperman's Omega Advisors built a significant stake in Rocket Companies during the final months of 2025, purchasing over $375 million worth of shares in the fourth quarter, making it the fund's largest holding valued at nearly $407 million, indicating strong confidence in the company.
- Stock Performance: Although Rocket shares were marginally lower in Q4 2025, they surged nearly 72% over the year, reflecting optimistic market expectations for future growth, despite a 4% decline at the start of 2026.
- Analyst Expectations: According to analysts polled by LSEG, while most maintain a hold rating on Rocket, the average price target suggests more than 15% upside potential, indicating market anticipation for a rebound.
- Other Investment Moves: Cooperman also more than doubled his stake in Occidental Petroleum to over $28 million and increased his position in KBR by over 20%, raising its value above $85 million, while completely exiting his position in ArriVent Biopharma, showcasing a dynamic adjustment in his investment portfolio.
See More
Potential Major Changes in Mortgage Industry as Regulatory Outlook Shifts
- Market Share Shift: According to Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman, there has been a significant decline in banks' share of mortgage origination and servicing since 2008, with banks originating about 60% of mortgages in 2008, dropping to only 35% by 2023, indicating a reduced role of traditional banks in the mortgage market.
- Regulatory Policy Changes: Bowman proposed removing the requirement to deduct mortgage servicing assets from regulatory capital while maintaining a 250% risk weight on those assets, which could alter banks' capital structures and change the risk management approach for mortgage loans.
- Competitive Landscape Changes: With these regulatory adjustments, non-bank lenders like Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage may face increased competitive pressure from traditional banks, forcing them to defend their margins and potentially leading to lower market prices for consumers.
- Market Outlook: The new regulatory framework could incentivize banks to re-enter the mortgage market more aggressively, particularly for loans sold to or guaranteed by government-sponsored entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, thereby reshaping the competitive dynamics of the real estate market and impacting consumer loan costs.
See More
