Ms. McCleave said that when a neighbor recently tried to sell her house, buyers balked.

It was a buyer's market, and the buyers were balking at what they considered overstaffing of cases and high hourly fees.

The buyer, meanwhile, balked at the price and never made an offer.

Even when an old appliance must be replaced because it has broken down, buyers sometimes balk at the higher purchase price of a more efficient model.

Many buyers may also balk because their property taxes will be based on the sales price listed on the contract.

Entire Batch Not Wanted Some potential buyers are balking for another reason as well.

Prices got to more than $1,000 a square foot and buyers finally balked.

And when he went to sell his harvest, his buyers balked at the contracted price.

As the mortgage rates continued to climb, many buyers balked, and a surplus of unsold properties began to build up.

When they returned, however, the Fed president announced that the potential buyer had balked.