If the ongoing congressional budget standoff forces a government shutdown, homebuyers and sellers could be subject to more headaches than usual before their deals close.

That's because buyers looking for mortgage approval could hit paperwork roadblocks if the shutdown furloughs workers at the IRS or Social Security Administration. This is what happened in October 2013, the last time budget gridlock forced a 16-day shutdown that sent millions of government workers on furlough and gummed up the works of the U.S. housing market.

Here's how another shutdown could make buying or selling a home even more stressful.