It's a phenomenon: Sellers are pulling their homes from sales markets in large numbers, especially in areas like the northeastern United States, in the nation's center like Denver, Colorado, and in a city that some call "overcrowded," Miami, Florida.
In Texas? Not so much, and a lot of it's because it's the time of year, according to global real estate advisor (and author of the book, "Fast Track Agent") Ashley Massey.
"It makes for a good headline, but when you actually look at what's going on in the markets, it's not uncommon for sellers to re-evaluate what is happening with their home," she says.
In the case of Miami and Denver, though, the markets have been overheated for years, and there's a perception that sales have stagnated and buyers are reticent to make deals, but that too could be considered seasonal, considering people are wanting days off for the activities of the holidays.
And it's that attention to the actions required during the buying and selling of homes that can lead to frustration during holiday periods, when people usually step back from the sales process, she says.
The concern arises when a larger number of customers that were expected start pulling their homes from sales, and Realtor.com says more people have pulled out this year than in any on record -- but the record only goes back to 2022.
"We have to make sure that both sides, the buyers and the sellers, are coming to terms with the actual market values of their homes."
And then there's the perception many in housing markets have had that 2026 will be a good year for home sales, especially when contrasted with previous years in the comeback from the pandemic slowdown -- and hope springs eternal for the new year.
"Everyone's expecting 2026 to be a better year than this year, sales-wise and inventory-wise."
