Jonathan Levin, Columnist

Housing Inventories May Not Save Prices After All

Home values are retreating in some of the most expensive cities in the country, signaling a potential inflection point for the broader market.

The inventory shortfalls in housing have begun to return to normal in some cities like San Francisco.

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

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The real estate market is starting to show signs of cracking in some of the most expensive cities in the country, and other pricey areas should brace for a rough stretch ahead.

In the early part of the year, the prevailing real estate narrative suggested that housing prices would stay buoyant because of a historic shortage of available inventory even as mortgage rates surged. But for all the signs that the market was facing headwinds, few people were prepared for mortgage rates that approached 6% recently, which put monthly payments out of reach for many buyers.