11/06/2025
More home-purchase agreements are being scrapped around the country, reflecting an intensifying standoff between buyers and sellers in a largely stalled housing market.
About 15% of agreements were canceled in September, up from roughly 13.6% a year earlier, according to the real-estate brokerage Redfin. The rate has generally been climbing all year.
The rising cancellations are being fueled by a range of factors, including uncertainty regarding the economy. More buyers are feeling anxious about their job security, triggering cold feet before closing in some cases, according to real-estate agents.
And with home prices at historic highs, financing for buyers might be falling through or they might realize that ongoing costs such as homeowners insurance or property taxes are higher than they anticipated, said Rick Sharga, founder of CJ Patrick Co., a real-estate consulting firm.
Meanwhile, many sellers with low mortgage rates feel little pressure to sell, one reason home prices are still so high. Sellers who don’t get the price they want can simply take their home off the market. In September, about 52% more homes were delisted compared with a year earlier, according to Realtor.com.
The unwillingness to budge on both sides means deals can easily collapse when an inspection reveals any problems.
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