Key Takeaways:
More than 1 in 17 US home sellers pulled their listings in April, the highest withdrawal rate since the pandemic froze the market six years ago.
Nationwide, 5.8 percent of all home listings were taken off the market in April, tying December 2025 for the highest share since March 2020, Redfin data show. Delistings rose 3.8 percent month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis, the second straight monthly increase.
"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."
The withdrawal wave is concentrated in markets where buyers hold the most leverage. Atlanta led the 50 largest US metros with 10.7 percent of listings delisted, followed by San Jose, California, at 9.3 percent, Los Angeles at 7.8 percent, Dallas at 7.8 percent and Seattle at 7.7 percent. Pittsburgh saw the lowest share at 3.5 percent. Separately, 2.5 percent of homes on the market in April were relistings — properties delisted within the prior 12 months and put back up for sale — the highest share since mid-2020.
The delisting trend reflects a market where affordability remains strained even after mortgage rates eased from their April peak. With rates still double pandemic-era lows and home prices continuing to rise, many buyers have stepped to the sidelines. Sellers who watched prices soar during 2020-2022 are reluctant to accept today's lower offers, choosing instead to wait or try again later with a more realistic price. "They've realized that if they're selling for less, the next home they buy will cost less, too," said Monica DiSchiano, a Redfin Premier agent in Austin, Texas.
Several forces are driving the trend. Homes are taking longer to sell as inventory rises faster than demand, pushing some sellers to delist rather than cut prices. Economic uncertainty tied to the Iran war, inflation, tariffs and job security is making both buyers and sellers cautious. Some homeowners are choosing to rent their properties instead, particularly those with low mortgage rates they don't want to surrender.
Delisting can also serve as a strategic reset. Sellers sometimes remove a stale listing to relaunch it with a new price, updated photos or during a more active season. Redfin's Early Access program, which allows sellers to test the market privately via a "coming soon" listing before a formal launch, aims to reduce the risk of a listing going stale. More than 80 percent of prospective sellers expressed interest in such an approach, according to a Redfin survey.
In the Bay Area, relistings are running at the highest rate nationally. San Francisco saw 4.2 percent of April listings come from sellers who had previously delisted, followed by neighboring San Jose at 4.1 percent, Boston at 3.8 percent and Oakland, California, at 3.7 percent. The concentration reflects a local market energized by the AI boom, with some homeowners taking advantage of rising demand to try again.
The implication for the broader housing market is that supply may remain constrained even as more homeowners consider selling. If sellers continue to withdraw listings rather than accept lower prices, inventory growth could slow, limiting the downward pressure on home prices that a buyer's market would typically produce. The spring selling season, which showed some improvement in April as rates dipped, has since softened again as mortgage rates jumped in May.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
