Dive Brief:

• Online real estate broken Redfin found purchase offers for homes were down 11.8% from August to September.
• Changes in market perceptions, from homes at sale prices to stories of competing offers, confused potential buyers.
• People are still looking at houses at the same pace as earlier this year.

Dive Insight:

The last thing that someone thinking about the financial commitment of buying a home needs or wants is uncertainty. The past year in house availability and prices, the rising trend in interest rates and the chaotic state of U.S. government operations have all contributed to a situation in which more people are taking their fingers off the trigger and not buying.