American home sellers slash prices and pay thousands toward buyers' costs while a stagnant US market leaves families in limbo

Owners who can afford to wait are pulling their homes off the market, and those who can't are stuck, unable to move for new jobs or growing families. Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American Financial, says the balance has swung back toward buyers' markets. Surging mortgage rates, years of rising prices and high inflation have frozen demand. Many would-be buyers are holding out for spring.

Empty nester Liz Suder only found a buyer more than a year after first listing.

Earlier this decade, rock-bottom mortgage rates meant sellers routinely got well above asking.

Fleming's warning to sellers: 'You might have to reduce your price.'