3 Cities Where the Most Home Sellers Are Taking Their Homes Off the Market — and What It Means for Buyers
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
Many sellers, who have grown frustrated after their price expectations were not met, decided to delist their homes, according to Realtor.com. Delistings have been well above seasonal norms and have even outpaced inventory gains in some markets. In October, delistings jumped by nearly 38% compared to last year, and year-to-date, delistings were up by about 45% from the same period in 2024.
Jake Krimmel, Realtor.com senior housing economist, said this delisting trend is due to the “stagnant and frustration-filled housing market.” Oftentimes, the seller’s solution is to pull the listing rather than cut prices, but in reality, all it’s doing is shrinking inventory, putting upward pressure on home prices and sending both the buyer and seller back to square one.
Here are the top three cities where home sellers are delisting, and what it means for buyers.
Miami
At the top of the list is Miami, with a delisting ratio of 45, down from 60 in August but up from 34 in October 2024. Realtor.com pointed out that it’s been at the top for the last five months, in part because of falling demand for housing driven by high interest rates and rising insurance premiums, HOA fees and property taxes.
Miami had the highest time on market in November at 84 days, with the typical home waiting for a buyer 10 days longer than in November 2024. And because Miami sellers prefer to delist rather than cut prices, buyers need to be strategic.
According to the Miami Herald, buyers who are succeeding in this market are doing so by being financially prepared, having reasonable contingencies, flexibility and targeting homes that are realistically priced rather than waiting for discounts that may never come.
Denver
The delisting ratio in Denver shot up from 30 to 39 in a single month, according to Realtor.com. Amanda Snitker, a Denver real estate agent and chair of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors’ Marketing Trends Committee, told Realtor.com that it’s not uncommon for local sellers to pull back in the fall and winter due to holiday travel and events, or wanting to put things on pause if the listing is not drawing enough attention.
For delistings to come down, Snitker said the market needs more buyers who are likely to come off the sidelines if affordability improves. And if they relist in 2026 with more realistic pricing and terms, this ratio could normalize.
She also agrees that buying power and seller expectations need to move closer together through lower borrowing costs, more certainty around jobs and inflation and clear guidance on the Federal Reserve’s policies.
Houston
In Houston, the delisting-to-new-listing ratio in October was 37, down from 40 in August, but up from 31 in October 2024. However, Houston homebuyers are still thankful for more flexibility, according to the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR). The HAR reported a 21% increase in active listings from November 2024.
HAR chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty explained that Houston’s housing market is settling into a balanced pace. Buyers have more time, options and breathing room to negotiate. Sellers are still getting offers, but Cottar added that realistic pricing and expectations make all the difference.
More From GOBankingRates
