Home sales are headed for their worst year since 1995 as ‘economic jitters’ spread from buyers to sellers, Redfin says

Core Insights - The U.S. housing market is experiencing a slight improvement with declining mortgage rates and stabilizing home prices, but both buyers and sellers remain cautious [1][2] - Active listings have decreased by 1.4% in August, marking the largest monthly decline since 2023, indicating fewer homeowners are putting their homes on the market [1][2] - Existing-home sales are projected to end the year at approximately 4.05 million, remaining flat compared to 2024, which was the worst year for sales since 1995 [2] Market Dynamics - High housing costs and economic uncertainty are causing hesitation among both buyers and sellers, leading to a gridlock in the market [2] - Home prices have increased by 1.7% year-over-year, reaching an average of $440,004, which discourages buyers from entering the market [2] - Sellers are facing a dilemma: they must either adjust their prices to sell or risk remaining unsold indefinitely [4] Seller Behavior - There has been a significant increase in delistings, with a 47% rise nationally in June compared to the previous year, and a 34% increase year-to-date [3] - Many sellers are not pricing their homes competitively, contributing to sluggish demand from homebuyers [4] Mortgage Rate Trends - Mortgage rates have decreased to 6.59% in August, the lowest average in 10 months, with the current 30-year fixed rate at 6.35%, down from 7% in May [5] - There is ongoing debate regarding the mortgage rate threshold that would incentivize buyers, with opinions suggesting rates around 6% to 5% could stimulate demand [6]