Economists' Outlook

Housing stats and analysis from NAR's research experts.

Home sellers decide to move for many reasons. Using the 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, we can discover these reasons as well as some surprising reasons for selling a home.

  • While not the typical reason for selling, 28 percent of REALTOR® respondents have at least once had to sell a house or find a new home for a seller who was convinced that their house was haunted.

Pumpkin chart2

  • Among all home sellers, 15 percent decided to sell their current home because it was too small.
  • Fifteen percent of sellers also sold their homes because of job relocation.
  • The desire to move closer to friends and family was the deciding factor for 14 percent of home sellers.
  • All at 10 percent, the neighborhood becoming less desirable, a change in family situation, or that the home is too large were all primary reasons for selling.
  • First-time sellers sold because their current home was too small, for job relocation, and because the neighborhood became less desirable more than any other group of sellers.
  • Repeat sellers sold to move closer to friends and family, because their home is too large, or for retirement at a higher rate than any other seller group.

Sellers chart

See the Halloween and Home Sellers infographic, and for more information on home buyers and sellers check out the 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Notice: The information on this page may not be current. The archive is a collection of content previously published on one or more NAR web properties. Archive pages are not updated and may no longer be accurate. Users must independently verify the accuracy and currency of the information found here. The National Association of REALTORS® disclaims all liability for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information or data found on this page.

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