U.S. Home Sellers Delist Nearly 5% of Listings in May as Mortgage Rates Hit 6.6%
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 8
U.S. Home Sellers Delist Nearly 5% of Listings in May as Mortgage Rates Hit 6.6%
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 8
Summary
Nearly 5% of U.S. home listings were pulled in May, the highest May delisting share since Realtor.com began tracking the data in 2022.
Mortgage rates climbed from 5.99% in late February to 6.6% in early June, pricing out buyers and leaving sellers without enough offers to keep homes listed.
The Iran war added to the freeze by lifting oil prices, stoking inflation fears and pushing Treasury yields higher, which fed through to mortgage borrowing costs.
Analysts say the standoff is also reinforced by a lock-in effect: homeowners with older, lower-rate mortgages are reluctant to sell and finance another home at current rates.
A prolonged rate plateau—or even a Fed hike, now seen at 43% odds for December after a strong jobs report—could keep inventory tight and home prices from falling soon.
As the national housing market splinters, are some US cities now on the verge of a major price correction?
With sellers and buyers in a deadlock, will peace in Iran be the only key to unfreeze the US housing market?
Amid a housing 'standoff' fueled by war, can a new executive order truly help first-time buyers secure a home?
Delisting Surge and Buyer’s Market Define U.S. Housing in 2026: Prices, Inventory, and Regional Trends
Overview
In early June 2026, the U.S. housing market is seeing a surge in home delistings, especially in California, Texas, and Florida. Many sellers are pulling their homes off the market when they do not get good offers or when properties stay unsold longer than expected. This trend is happening as the market shifts toward a strong buyer’s market, with dropping consumer confidence and fluctuating mortgage rates giving buyers more power in negotiations. As a result, sellers face tough choices and often retreat from the market rather than accept lower prices, reshaping the balance between buyers and sellers.