More U.S. homeowners are pulling their properties off the market as buyers push back against high prices and gain greater negotiating power.

A Redfin report published Wednesday found that 5.8% of all U.S. home listings were delisted in April, tying December 2025 for the highest level since March 2020, when the pandemic disrupted the housing market. Delistings rose 3.8% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The report points to a growing disconnect between seller expectations and buyer demand. Many homeowners still want to sell, but only if they can secure the price they believe their property is worth.

"Sellers are still getting used to the post-pandemic normal," said Patricia Ammann, a Redfin Premier agent in Arlington, Virginia. "Buyers know they have negotiating power, often offering under the asking price and completing inspections, but some sellers just won't budge."

Market Shift

Redfin said homes are taking longer to sell as elevated mortgage rates and rising housing costs continue to pressure affordability. With fewer buyers competing for properties, many listings remain on the market for weeks or months without attracting acceptable offers.

Inventory is also rising faster than demand in many markets, increasing competition among sellers. Some homeowners who expected pandemic-era bidding wars are instead facing price-sensitive buyers and are choosing to remove their listings rather than accept lower offers.

The trend is most visible in buyer-friendly markets. Atlanta recorded the highest share of delistings among major U.S. metro areas in April at 10.7%, followed by San Jose, Los Angeles, Dallas and Seattle.

Affordability Pressure

The Redfin findings add to broader signs of strain across the housing market. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that new-home sales fell 6.2% in April as elevated mortgage rates and affordability pressures weighed on buyers.

HousingWire analyst Logan Mohtashami recently described the housing market as sluggish, noting that inventory levels have improved significantly while existing-home sales remain historically weak.

Affordability remains a major obstacle. Economist Mohamed El-Erian recently said U.S. housing remains "extremely unaffordable," citing data showing homebuyers spend roughly 42% of their income on housing costs.

Redfin also found that 2.5% of active listings in April were homes that had previously been delisted and later returned to the market, the highest share since 2020.

Disclaimer: This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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