US Home Purchase Cancellations Hit Record 16.3% in December

US Home Purchase Cancellations Hit Record 16.3% in December

Over 40,000 pending home sales were called off last month, marking the highest December cancellation rate since 2017, according to real estate brokerage Redfin.

Fact Check
The assessment that the statement is 'likely true' with high confidence is based on strong, consistent, and corroborating evidence from multiple high-authority sources, with no contradictory information provided.The primary source of the data, Redfin, directly and explicitly supports the statement. Its report confirms that "16.3% of U.S. home-purchase agreements were canceled in December, the highest rate for that month on record." This is the most compelling piece of evidence.This finding is independently corroborated by two highly credible news organizations, CNBC and USA Today. Both sources repeat the specific 16.3% figure and affirm that it represents a record high for December, correctly attributing the data to Redfin. The consistency across these authoritative secondary sources significantly strengthens the claim's credibility.Additional sources, though less authoritative, such as a real estate news site and a financial commentary account on Facebook, also echo the claim, indicating the information is widely disseminated and accepted. Conversely, there is a complete lack of conflicting evidence. Sources that do not support the claim are irrelevant to the specific statistic, focusing on different geographies (Minnesota, California) or different economic indicators (consumer confidence, mortgage rates) rather than national cancellation rates. Their inability to confirm the statement does not detract from the powerful, direct evidence provided by the relevant sources. The evidence overwhelmingly converges on the truthfulness of the statement.
Summary

In December 2024, 16.3% of US home purchase agreements were canceled, the highest December rate since data tracking began in 2017. Redfin reported that more than 40,000 pending contracts fell through during the month. This compares to 14.9% in the previous year, highlighting a growing trend of buyers walking away from deals amid changing market conditions such as rising mortgage rates and affordability challenges.

Terms & Concepts
  • Home Purchase Cancellation Rate: The percentage of agreed home sales that are terminated before closing.
  • Pending Home Sales: Real estate transactions in which a purchase agreement has been signed but the sale has not yet closed.