The government shutdown has entered uncharted waters — it is now the longest full shutdown in American history. And we are hearing firsthand that the impact on the housing sector is dire and growing worse by the day.

In rural Oklahoma, Realtor Christina shared what she’s seeing. “Roughly 80 percent of our home loans are USDA or HUD-184 programs,” she said. “We’re already feeling the impact. We had two closings scheduled for Friday, but beyond that, our pipeline has essentially stalled until the government reopens and approvals resume.”

That means nearly every aspect of her business is frozen. “Our phones have gone quiet,” she said. “Offers aren’t being made or accepted, and showings have slowed significantly. We have one triple closing completely held up waiting on a USDA buyer, and we’re now over a month into extensions. Each of these buyers has already invested thousands into earnest money, appraisals, inspections and title work, and we’re doing everything we can to keep sellers from walking away.”

Her story captures what small-town real estate professionals across the country are facing. For many buyers, this home is their chance at stability and generational wealth. Each day the shutdown continues pushes that dream further out of reach.

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