Why More Sellers Are Delisting Their Homes — And What It Means for the San Antonio–New Braunfels Market in 2025

Why are so many sellers delisting their homes, and how does this impact the San Antonio–New Braunfels housing market?

Short answer:
Homeowners across the country are taking their listings off the market at the fastest pace in years. Extended days on market, fewer showings, and higher price-sensitivity from buyers are driving many sellers to pause, rent, or relist later. This creates the illusion of high inventory, but “true” available supply is tighter — which explains why prices have softened but not collapsed.

As a real estate professional in the San Antonio–New Braunfels region, here’s what you need to know and what this unfolding trend means for you.

The Delisting Surge: What’s Happening Nationally

Across the U.S., 2025 has become a year defined by a growing standoff: buyers are cautious, and sellers are resistant to accepting lower prices. The result? A surge in delistings.

Recent research shows:

• Nearly 85,000 homes were delisted in September 2025, a 28% jump year-over-year, marking the highest September figure in eight years.

• Roughly 5.5% of all homes listed were taken off the market that same month.

• Around 70% of homes nationwide have now been sitting on the market 60 days or longer, a sharp contrast from the rapid-fire bidding wars of a few years ago.

This matters because it changes the way inventory functions. Even though there may appear to be plenty of homes for sale, a growing share of them are being removed from the market before finding a buyer. In other words, the inventory looks high on paper, but the number of homes truly available to transact is shrinking.

That dynamic is a big part of what shapes today’s 2025 housing inventory trends, and it explains why prices haven’t corrected more dramatically. Less real supply equals less downward pressure.

Why Sellers Are Pulling Their Homes Off the Market

If you talk with homeowners right now — whether locally or nationwide — you’ll hear similar concerns. Houses are sitting much longer, and showings aren’t as strong as they used to be. For many sellers, this creates a difficult choice: reduce their price beyond what feels comfortable, or step back and wait.

Here are the leading reasons behind the rise in delistings:

1. Properties Are Sitting Longer Than Expected

In many markets, including ours, showings have slowed. Homes are often attracting minimal attention — sometimes just one or two offers after weeks or months on the market. Sellers who were hoping for a fast and competitive sale are instead dealing with extended days on market.

2. Sellers Don’t Want to Accept Lower Offers

Many homeowners are anchored to the value they hoped to achieve at the peak. When reality doesn’t match expectation, instead of continuing to reduce the price, they choose to pause.

This pattern is a major contributor to the real estate market slowdown. Sellers would rather wait for more favorable conditions than transact in the current environment.

3. Some Owners Risk Selling at a Loss

A significant portion of sellers who purchased between 2021 and 2023 now face the real possibility of selling at a lower price than they paid. National reports show that roughly 15% of delisted homes were at risk of selling below their purchase price — the highest rate seen in the last five years.

For this group, renting the home out or waiting for a stronger season (like spring) often feels like a safer move.

4. Renting or Pausing Feels More Practical

Rather than repeatedly adjusting their asking price, many owners are turning to rental options, mid-term furnished stays, or simply pausing and planning to relist in the future. This has become an increasingly common fallback plan, especially in markets where rental demand remains steady.

How Delistings Change the Market — And Why It Matters

The surge in delistings has a ripple effect on nearly every aspect of the housing market. Here’s how it shapes the broader landscape:

1. Inventory Looks High, But Real Supply Is Lower

You might hear that inventory is up — and technically, that’s true. But with so many listings being withdrawn, the number of homes truly available at a price the market supports is significantly lower than it appears.

This distorted inventory picture is one of the defining features of today’s 2025 housing inventory trends.

2. Prices Are Softening, But Not Free-Falling

Because sellers are opting out instead of selling lower, prices have been edging down rather than dropping dramatically. This self-correcting behavior keeps price declines shallow.

3. Fewer Transactions Overall

Even though buyers have more leverage, they’re also more cautious. Higher interest rates, economic uncertainty, and longer days on market create hesitation. This combination contributes to lower transaction volume — fewer homes being bought and sold.

4. Buyers Have More Negotiating Power

On homes that remain actively listed and truly for sale, buyers often have more room to negotiate. They may ask for concessions or price adjustments with more confidence than in past seller-dominant markets.

However, because actual supply is tight, attractive listings can still move relatively quickly when priced appropriately.

How This Trend Shows Up in the San Antonio–New Braunfels Market

Now let’s bring this closer to home.

The San Antonio–New Braunfels region reflects many of the same trends seen nationally — but with a few local characteristics that make delistings especially relevant.

1. Inventory Is Elevated — But Many Sellers Are Testing the Market

You’ve likely seen a noticeable increase in active listings. But a meaningful share of these sellers are doing what the rest of the country is doing: testing the waters. If they don’t receive their desired price or traffic slows, they pull the listing quickly.

This is why real supply feels tighter than expected, even in a market with growing inventory.

2. Days on Market Have Been Stretching

Across the region, homes are sitting longer. This creates pressure on motivated sellers and discourages homeowners who don’t need to move right away.

What’s interesting? Extended days on market don’t always translate to big price drops — because many would-be sellers simply opt out rather than reduce.

3. Homes Purchased in 2021–2023 Are More Vulnerable

Locally, sellers who bought during those extremely competitive years are sometimes facing less favorable resale conditions today. Some homeowners would rather rent or hold for a year or two than close at a number that feels like a step backward.

4. Price Softening Without Major Declines

You may hear people ask: “If demand is down, why aren’t prices falling faster?”
The answer is the same locally as it is nationally — delistings act like a pressure valve. Sellers who aren’t getting their price simply exit the market instead of discounting further.

This creates stability, even in a slower environment.

What This Means for You Right Now

If You’re a Homeowner Thinking About Selling

You’ll benefit from understanding how today’s market behaves differently than in recent years. If your home sits longer than expected:

• It isn’t necessarily a sign that your home is “failing.”

• It reflects a broader national slowdown and an extremely price-sensitive buyer pool.

• You have options: price strategically, refresh the condition, explore rental opportunities, or pause and time the market later.

Today’s sellers succeed when they treat the market as it is — not as it was.

If You’re a Buyer

You’ll likely see more listings on the internet than the number of homes truly available. Some sellers are committed; others are testing.

This is why it’s important to:

• Identify which listings are truly price-aligned

• Act quickly when a well-priced home hits the market

• Negotiate strategically when a property has been sitting awhile

You have more leverage than in prior years, but the tightness in “real supply” means strong listings still matter.

Why This Market Still Requires Local Expertise

In a year where national headlines talk about “slowdowns,” “delistings,” and “cooling demand,” real estate decisions become more strategic than ever.

Whether you’re buying or selling in the San Antonio–New Braunfels region, you benefit from:

• Clear guidance on pricing and market timing

• A plan tailored to your specific property goals

• Local insight into which listings are real opportunities and which are likely to disappear

This is where professional support matters. Navigating a market shaped by hidden inventory, cautious buyers, and selective sellers is not a DIY event.

Final Takeaway

Delistings are reshaping the 2025 housing landscape — both nationwide and here in the San Antonio–New Braunfels region. They’re making inventory appear inflated, even as real supply tightens. For sellers, this means a need for strategic pricing and clear alternatives if traffic slows. For buyers, it means more room to negotiate — but also more reason to pay attention to which homes are truly available.

Understanding these dynamics helps you approach your move with clarity and confidence.

Call to Action

For weekly market updates, deeper insights into buying or selling in the San Antonio–New Braunfels region, and on-the-ground expertise from a working REALTOR®, watch my YouTube channel here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@cposeyrealestate