Silver Hits $52 Amid Historic Shortages –
The housing market is experiencing significant disruption with over 41,000 U.S. home-purchase agreements falling through in January, representing 14.3% of homes under contract – the highest cancellation rate for this season on record.
This shift is driven by three key factors: First, housing inventory has reached its highest level since 2020 while pending sales hit record lows, giving buyers leverage to back out during inspections when better options appear. Second, economic uncertainty from tariffs, layoffs, and policy changes is causing hesitation among both buyers and sellers.
Third, the combination of high mortgage rates (which hit an eight-month high of 6.96% in January) and a 4.1% increase in median home prices is creating sticker shock that’s pushing buyers to reconsider. Despite these challenges, Redfin agents report that premium properties in desirable locations continue to sell quickly with fewer cancellations.
