As the housing market continues to transition, buyers are becoming more cautious and selective. While contract fall-through rates haven’t surged, 16% of homes under contract in July didn’t make it to closing, according to data from Bright MLS, a slight increase from earlier in the summer.

Key Reasons Buyers Are Backing Out:

• Home inspections: Over 50% of buyers walked due to issues uncovered during inspections.

• Lack of seller concessions: 26.3% left when sellers refused to help with repairs or closing costs.

• Financial stress: Especially at lower price points, buyers are more affected by economic uncertainty and job market fears.

Maryland Hot Spots for Fall-Throughs:

Prince George’s, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties are seeing higher-than-average fall-through rates, likely due to federal job cuts, and budget uncertainty tied to the D.C. economy

Price Matters:

Homes under $300K had a 19.3% fall-through rate, nearly double that of $1M+ homes (10.8%).

Wealthier buyers are still cautious, but lower-income buyers are more financially stretched.

What Sellers Need to Know:

Buyers today expect negotiation—on price, repairs, and even closing costs.

Refusing to budge could mean losing the deal entirely.

Inventory is up 23.1% year-over-year, giving buyers more options and leverage.

Sellers who work with knowledgeable agents and price strategically are still closing deals fast.