Home sellers pull properties at record rate as housing market cools

(WISH) — Home sellers pulled properties from the market at an unusually high rate this fall, signaling growing frustration in a cooling housing market.

Delistings in October were up 45.5% year to date and nearly 38% higher than in October 2024, according to a new report from Realtor.com. The trend marks the highest annual delisting rate since the company began tracking the metric in 2022.

Typically, late fall sees an uptick in delistings as sellers try to avoid slow winter months. But this year’s numbers stand out. About 6% of active listings are coming off the market each month — a level usually seen only in midwinter. Delistings have climbed steadily since June and have remained elevated for five consecutive months.

At the same time, more buyers are looking toward what Realtor.com calls “refuge markets,” or cities where home prices remain relatively affordable and didn’t spike dramatically during the pandemic.

“Rising delistings and the growth of refuge markets capture the push and pull defining today’s housing market,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said in a statement. “These dynamics reflect how higher rates and years of rapid price growth have rewritten the rules of engagement for both buyers and sellers....