Home sellers are increasingly second-guessing the For Sale sign and stepping back if their homes don’t attract the offers they expect, according to a new report from realtor.com®. It highlights a growing mismatch between buyer affordability and seller price expectations, with 2025 experiencing the highest number of canceled contracts and delistings since realtor.com® began tracking the metric.
While delistings typically rise in late fall, realtor.com® notes an “unusually high rate” for this year, with a notable run-up that began in June. Delistings in October jumped nearly 38% compared to a year earlier, and year-to-date they are up about 45% from the same period in 2024.
“A number of sellers are retreating after listing if the market doesn’t meet their price expectations, while buyers are strategically redirecting to the metros that remain affordable,” says Danielle Hale, realtor.com®’s chief economist. Speaking recently at the National Association of REALTORS®’ virtual “Real Estate Forecast Summit: The Year Ahead,” Hale said that while delistings are at record highs, they still represent a relatively low share of listings.
“Sellers are in a strong equity position, which gives them flexibility—they can choose not to make price reductions and wait until the market improves,” she says. “Many may choose to pull listings off the market until next spring rather than making strategic price adjustments if their initial list is too high.”
Who Is Most Likely to Delist
A new report from Redfin shows certain sellers are more likely to pull their home off the market:
- Homes lingering on the market: The typical delisted home had been listed 100 days before being removed. Nationally, the markets with the highest percentages of “stale” listings—at least 60 days or more—include Florida’s Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach metros, and Austin, Texas.
- Tempted by rental options: Some sellers may be swayed to rent their homes until market conditions improve, and then re-list at higher prices later on.
- Avoiding a price reduction: About 15% of homes delisted in September risked selling at a loss—the highest share in five years, according to Redfin’s data. Nearly half of delistings came from homes purchased within the last five years, with many homeowners who bought during the pandemic still holding on for higher home prices.
“There’s been a ton of canceled listings because of sellers who dip their toe in, get no showings, don’t want to drop the price, and pull it off the market,” Rebecca Hidalgo, owner and broker at Integrity All Stars Realty in Chandler, Ariz., recently told Real Estate Today. “There’s a lot of pride, a lot of ego, and a lot of emotion tied to home selling.”
How to Prevent Delistings and Canceled Contracts
Real estate pros are trying to keep sellers committed to the end. Here are some of the strategies they’re prioritizing with clients.
Price accurately from the start. Overpricing is one of the main reasons listings stall. “Your home is worth what someone else is willing to pay … but sometimes that doesn’t line up with what sellers think,” says Kourtney Pulitzer, a real estate pro with Sotheby’s International Realty in Palm Beach, Fla. “It’s caused some sellers to overprice.”
That’s a costly mistake, she says, because pricing high in hopes of leaving room to negotiate usually “leaves you without anyone to negotiate with. If you’re not priced realistically, buyers assume you’re not being realistic—and they won’t even make an offer.”
Indeed, homes priced even 3–5% above market will face longer days on the market and deeper eventual reductions, NAR noted in its recent housing forecast report. “REALTORS® who guide sellers to realistic pricing will secure faster sales and stronger final prices,” the NAR report said.
Prepare the home thoroughly. About half of buyers report being less willing to compromise on the condition of a home, according to NAR’s 2025 Remodeling Impact Report. Agents are encouraging sellers to make key updates—such as painting, roof repairs (if needed) and kitchen refreshes to make a home stand out. Attention to even small details matters, too—like having clean air filters, tidy entryways and fresh baseboards.
Get more ideas: NAR REALTOR® News’ Styled Staged & Sold Blog
Build up buyer confidence. Some agents are turning to pre-listing inspections—having a home professionally inspected before it hits the market. A seller-funded inspection lets sellers address repairs upfront and avoid last-minute surprises that could derail a sale. It also enables full disclosure of any known issues, building trust and helping buyers feel more committed, says Cara Ameer, an agent with Coldwell Banker’s Vanguard Realty in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
“Disclosure is confidence … and you want that buyer to go into the transaction with confidence,” so they’ll make it to closing, Ameer says.
While buyers still often opt to conduct their own inspections, the seller’s report can provide extra reassurance and serve as a baseline for their own inspection.
Read more: Agents Turn to Pre-Listing Inspections to Prevent Canceled Contracts
Monitor the market and act quickly. Agents track local supply, demand and pending sales to guide their sellers on competitive initial pricing. If demand slips in their market, some agents say they suggest a strategic 2-5% price adjustment to generate renewed interest. Also, strategically timed reductions—midweek for added visibility—may help listings appear on agents’ “hot sheets” and capture weekend buyers’ attention.
Read more: Listing Price Reduction? How to Navigate It With Buyers, Sellers
Be ready to negotiate. Closing cost assistance, repair credits or minor concessions may be necessary to attract buyers. Agents who anticipate negotiation scenarios are preparing their clients ahead of time for the give-and-take conversations that could help prevent a deal from collapsing and get the home sold.
