Market fatigue : When to wave the white flag

___

Published Date 5/9/2025

If you’ve paid any attention to the real estate market over the past few years, you’d know that conditions on the ground have literally defined a seller’s market. Low inventory. High profit.

But stalled mortgage rates have boxed out plenty of buyers, and a good portion of them have lost interest. In many parts of the U.S., it's not unheard of for a property to sit on the market as weeks and months drag on with no bites, according to Realtor.com’s Daniel Bortz.

So, he asks the question: As a seller, what is a good indicator of when to take your house OFF the market? It’s not an easy decision. Once you do, your listing will go from “active” to “withdrawn” in the multiple listing service. But it doesn’t happen in an instant. Only licensed real estate agents and brokers who pay for membership to the MLS have access to the full feed, making them the only ones who can post or remove those listings.

It’s important to have a frank conversation with your agent about why you're thinking of taking your home off the market. A short-term reason (like a family emergency) means a temporary pause, rather than pulling the listing entirely.

Truth be told, removing that "For Sale" sign from your front lawn may actually be a smart move in some cases. For instance, your financial circumstances may have changed, precluding you from making a move. A job layoff. An emergency expense (like your car deciding to give up the ghost), or a death in the family requiring your financial participation.

Another reason might be the luck of the draw: You’re getting only lowball offers—and you’re not willing to negotiate. If you priced your home too high and you’re not willing to budge—odds are good it’s going to sit on the market. When a listing languishes long enough, it is often considered “snakebit” and agents might either hesitate to show it or characterize it as a distressed listing, open to lowball offers.

The exception is luxury homes. Those customized gems often require a specific type of buyer. Thing is, luxury home sellers are generally not under time pressure to sell anyway.

Another big reason is to fix something. A torrential downpour flooded your basement. A hurricane made a tree occupy a chunk of your roof. Or you had offers, but buyers walked away because a home inspection revealed issues they’d rather not deal with and you weren’t willing to address. “This is one of the most common reasons why deals fall through,” says Bortz. “There are, after all, about 1,600 items an inspector looks at that make up a property’s foundation, structure, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems.”

But what about WHY your home can’t compete with others for sale in your area? A 1980s kitchen just doesn’t wax good-nostalgic with buyers who want expansive, stone-topped kitchen islands and built-in refrigerators. Just because your home has the same square footage and back yard size as those for sale nearby doesn’t make it a viable contender. When “move-in ready” is what people look for, your home might not measure up.

Withdrawing your listing offers you time to make a big home improvement. But before you yank your home off the market, make sure you know which features today's buyers are clamoring for. “Generally, revamped kitchens and bathrooms add the most value to a property. Hot tubs, not so much,” says Bortz.

Other reasons to withdraw your listing include seeing a glut of homes for sale. In that case, buyers flood the market, and you might have trouble selling your house regardless of whether it’s in tip-top shape or priced aggressively.

And lastly, you may have a lousy agent. “If your agent isn’t responsive, or doesn't have a good explanation for why your home isn’t selling, you might want to consider a new one," says New York-based broker Teresa Stephenson. Bortz agrees: Taking your house off the market while you look for one and canceling the listing with your agent would give you time to find a real estate expert who's right for you. But this decision should not be taken lightly, given the fees that could incur.

“When you sign a contract with your agent, be sure to review the paperwork carefully for any early termination fees that may apply if you decide to end your working relationship,” says Bortz. “If you're relisting with another agent, you may also be responsible for marketing fees and, in some severe cases, a percentage of your listing price.”

After all is said and done, however, perhaps it’s wise to stay the course, he says. “Just as financial hardships can be a good reason to withdraw from selling your home, financial burdens may be an even better reason to stay put. If you like your agent or have been trying to sell your home yourself, someone is responsible for covering the marketing fees associated with publicly listing your property. That's money wasted if you decide to pull your home off the market entirely.”

Realtor, TBWS

• < Prev
• Next >

All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.

American Home Lending USA, LLC - NMLS ID: 71983. To verify licensing, visit NMLS Consumer Access (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Equal Housing Lender.

Jeff Beck

President

NMLS: 19488

American Home Lending USA, LLC

240 S Buchanan St, Edwardsville IL 62025

Company NMLS: 71983

Office: 618-310-0091

Cell: 618-806-2281

Email: jbeck@ahlusa1.com

Web: https://www.americanhomelendingusa.com/