One of the housing market’s biggest advantages is starting to disappear

Cash buyers are pulling back as inventory improves and price growth stalls, giving financed buyers an opening they haven’t had in years.

[Photos: Shamblen Studios/Unsplash; Compagnons/Unsplash]

When it comes to buying a house, cash is king—but that might be starting to change.

In a new report, Realtor.com found that cash sales are finally on the decline after the pandemic-era boom created a flurry of buyers paying for homes outright rather than with financing. 

In the first quarter of 2026, cash sales made up 31.4% of home purchases, down a percentage point from the year prior. While home sales slowed broadly from 2025 to 2026, cash sales showed an even more pronounced slowdown. Home sales fell by 8.5% across the board, while cash sales fell by 11.2% during the same period, outpacing the market-wide........

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