Home Listing Withdrawals Near Record Highs as Sellers Adjust to Changing Market Conditions
A growing number of homeowners across the United States are removing their properties from the market as elevated mortgage rates, affordability challenges, and shifting buyer expectations continue to reshape the housing landscape. According to a new report from Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket, home delistings reached one of their highest levels in recent years during April, highlighting the challenges many sellers face in today’s buyer-friendly market.
The report found that 5.8% of all active home listings nationwide were withdrawn from the market in April. That figure matches the level recorded in December 2025 and represents the highest share of delisted properties since March 2020, when the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily disrupted housing activity and caused widespread uncertainty among homeowners and buyers.
The latest data indicates that delisting activity has become significantly more common than it was before the pandemic. Prior to 2020, the share of homeowners choosing to remove their properties from the market rarely reached current levels.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, home delistings increased 3.8% from March to April, marking the second consecutive month of growth. The trend reflects an evolving housing market in which sellers are increasingly confronting slower sales activity and heightened buyer negotiating power.
Industry experts suggest that many homeowners continue to enter the market with pricing expectations shaped by the extraordinary housing boom experienced during the pandemic years. Between 2020 and 2022, intense buyer demand, historically low mortgage rates, and limited inventory fueled rapid home price appreciation across much of the country. In many cases, sellers received multiple offers within days and were often able to secure prices well above asking levels.
Today’s environment is markedly different.
Although mortgage rates eased slightly during April compared with recent highs, borrowing costs remain substantially above the ultra-low levels seen during the pandemic period. Combined with rising home prices and broader inflationary pressures, affordability challenges have reduced the number of active buyers in many markets.
As a result, homes are generally taking longer to sell, and buyers have become more selective in their purchasing decisions. Rather than competing aggressively for available properties, many buyers now negotiate prices, request concessions, and insist on inspection contingencies that were often waived during the market frenzy of previous years.
Patricia Ammann, a Redfin Premier agent based in Arlington, Virginia, noted that many sellers are still adjusting to these new realities.
According to Ammann, homeowners who became accustomed to rapidly rising property values often struggle to accept that the market has shifted. Buyers now have more leverage, frequently submitting offers below asking price and negotiating contract terms. While some sellers adapt to the changing environment, others choose to withdraw their listings rather than lower their expectations.
Several factors are contributing to the increase in delisting activity.
One major factor is the extended time many homes now spend on the market. With affordability concerns discouraging some prospective buyers, fewer individuals are actively searching for homes. Reduced competition means sellers may wait weeks or even months before receiving a satisfactory offer.
At the same time, housing inventory continues to grow in many regions. More homeowners are listing properties for sale, while buyer demand has not increased at the same pace. The resulting imbalance has created additional competition among sellers, making it more difficult for properties to stand out and attract offers.
As listings accumulate, some homeowners decide to remove their homes from the market rather than reduce asking prices. For many, waiting for future market improvements appears preferable to accepting lower offers today.
Another factor influencing seller behavior is the persistence of pandemic-era pricing expectations. Many homeowners remember the extraordinary appreciation rates experienced just a few years ago and continue to expect similar outcomes. However, higher monthly mortgage payments have made buyers more price-sensitive, reducing their willingness to pay premium prices.
Economic uncertainty is also playing a role. Concerns surrounding inflation, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, employment stability, and broader economic conditions have prompted both buyers and sellers to approach housing decisions more cautiously. Some homeowners are reluctant to move unless they can secure a price that justifies entering a market with elevated borrowing costs.
In certain cases, delisting may represent a strategic decision rather than a failed sale attempt. Some sellers temporarily remove listings to refresh marketing materials, update property photographs, make improvements, or relaunch the home during a stronger selling season. Others choose to convert their properties into rental units, particularly if they currently benefit from low mortgage rates obtained during previous years.
While delistings have increased, many homeowners who previously withdrew their listings are returning to the market.
According to Redfin, approximately 2.5% of homes listed in April belonged to sellers who had removed their properties from the market within the previous 12 months before relisting them. This figure matches the levels recorded during the prior two months and represents the highest share since mid-2020.
The trend suggests that homeowners who initially delayed selling are gradually accepting current market conditions and adjusting their expectations accordingly.
Monica DiSchiano, a Redfin Premier agent in Austin, Texas, observed that many sellers who previously rejected lower offers are now returning with more realistic pricing strategies. As market conditions remain favorable to buyers, homeowners increasingly recognize that selling for a lower price may also mean purchasing their next property at a lower cost.
Regional differences remain significant across the country.
Among the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas, Atlanta recorded the highest share of delisted properties in April. Approximately 10.7% of listed homes were removed from the market, meaning more than one in ten sellers chose to withdraw their listings.
Other markets with elevated delisting rates included San Jose at 9.3%, Los Angeles at 7.8%, Dallas at 7.8%, and Seattle at 7.7%.
These markets generally exhibit conditions that favor buyers, who possess greater negotiating power and are often able to secure price reductions or seller concessions.
In contrast, delistings were least common in Pittsburgh, where only 3.5% of listings were withdrawn. Other relatively stable markets included Columbus at 3.6%, Chicago at 3.6%, Cincinnati at 3.7%, and New Brunswick at 4.4%.
As the housing market continues to balance growing inventory, affordability concerns, and shifting buyer behavior, delisting activity is likely to remain an important indicator of seller sentiment and the broader adjustment taking place across the U.S. residential real estate sector.
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