Homebuyers across the United States are ghosting sellers at record rates, and Dallas has some of the worst offenders. Real estate marketplace Redfin tracked which metros saw the most buyers getting cold feet before closing real estate deals: Dallas came in at No. 9.

Redfin says 17.7 percent of Dallas home purchases were called off in September 2025, an increase from 16.4 percent in September 2024.

Fort Worth was even worse, landing at No. 4. In September, 18.7 percent of Fort Worth home purchases were called off, up from from 16.6 percent the previous year.

By comparison, San Antonio ranked No. 2 overall, with the highest pull-out rate in Texas, at 19 percent.

Tampa, Florida, topped the list with a cancellation rate of 20.1 percent. The national average is 15 percent.

Redfin says Goldilocks thinking is largely to blame for the rise in buyers "ghosting" sellers. A lack of compromise on concessions and repairs is driving the trend, with buyers refusing to accept imperfect homes.

Meanwhile, sellers want to avoid losing money on the deal. This is especially true of homeowners who bought during the COVID-19 boom, who are holding their asking price firm to avoid taking a loss. With plenty of homes on the market in "Sun Belt" cities — in some place, more than twice as many sellers than buyers — buyers are weighing all options.

“I’m seeing a lot of buyer’s remorse,” explained Redfin agent Jo Chavez, in a release. “Buyers make an offer, then they start worrying they could have found a better deal or a better home because there are more home sellers than buyers in the market. Some other buyers are backing out because they’re concerned about job security.”

The top 10 markets with the most sideways deals include:

• No. 1 — Tampa, Florida
• No. 2 – San Antonio, Texas
• No. 3 — Atlanta, Georgia
• No. 4 — Orlando, Florida
• No. 5 — Fort Worth, Texas
• No. 6 — Riverside, California
• No. 7 — Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• No. 8 —Jacksonville, Florida
• No. 9 — Dallas, Texas
• No. 10 — Las Vegas, Nevada