Markets where homes are now MORE affordable

Lists … about listings

We love a good Top 10 list, and this edition has not one, not two, but three good ones!

We check out:

• Markets where home sales and prices are rising the most

• Zip codes where homes are selling the fastest

• Markets where it’s getting easier to buy a home

Then, in Foundation Plans, we continue our list of the best practices to help clients create a smooth and stress-free buying experience.

With that, let’s get into today’s Blueprint!

- James and David

Markets where home sales and prices are rising the most

Home sales and prices are on the rise across several Rust Belt metros, according to a Redfin analysis of the nation’s 50 most populous housing markets. 

The ranking measures year-over-year changes in six key metrics: homes sold, median sale price per square foot, share of homes under contract within two weeks, sale-to-list price ratio, median days on market, and inventory. 

Here are the top markets where home sales and prices are up on a year-over-year basis, according to Redfin:

1. Milwaukee, WI

2. Chicago, IL

3. Philadelphia, PA

4. Minneapolis, MN

5. New York, NY

6. Cincinnati, OH

7. Detroit, MI

8. Newark, NJ

9. Pittsburgh, PA

10. Virginia Beach, VA

Our take

This report flips the familiar Rust Belt storyline on its head. Instead of showing declines, these metros are showing real momentum, with rising sales, climbing prices, and faster-moving inventory. Both local and out-of-state buyers are being drawn to these areas for their strengthening job markets, improving infrastructure, and relative affordability. For agents and investors, it’s a reminder not to write off markets based on outdated reputations. In a high-cost housing era, the Rust Belt’s value proposition is starting to look less like a bargain-bin buy and more like a strategic play.

Zip codes where homes are selling the fastest

Realtor.com’s latest report ranks the nation’s hottest ZIP codes, where buyer demand is fierce and listings are vanishing in record time. In these spots, listings got up to 5.2x more views and sold 30–42 days faster than the U.S. average.

The rankings are based on two factors: 1) market demand, which is measured by unique views per property, and 2) market pace, which is measured by median days on market. 

Here are the zip codes with the strongest home buyer demand, along with their median days on market:

1. 01915 – Beverly, MA – 16

2. 08053 – Malton, NJ – 17

3. 01453 – Leominster, MA - 18

4. 63021 – Ballwin, MO – 22

5. 07470 – Wayne, NJ – 22

6. 44149 – Strongsville, OH –25

7. 06611 – Trumbull, CT– 25

8. 02864 – Cumberland, RI – 26

9. 06074 – South Windsor, CT – 27

10. 43209 – Bexley, OH – 25

Our take

There are three big takeaways for agents here. First, know your metro’s suburban hotspots. Clients priced out of the city are flocking to nearby communities, which balance value and accessibility. Second, teach buyers that “affordable” is relative to what’s on the market. It’s about getting more for the dollar compared to nearby options. Third, in these fast-moving areas, the winners will be serious buyers with strong finances and the ability to move quickly. Well-priced and well-placed suburban listings are beating out trendier city markets.

Markets where it’s getting easier to buy a home

Nationally, a typical homebuyer now needs an annual income of $112,131 to afford the median-priced home, about $25,000 more than the typical household earns. However, in nearly a dozen major metros, homeownership is actually becoming more affordable, mostly in the Sun Belt. 

Redfin analyzed MLS median sale prices in June, along with prevailing mortgage rates and property taxes. They define a home as “affordable” when the monthly mortgage payment accounts for no more than 30% of a buyer’s income. 

These metros saw the biggest year-over-year percentage drops in the income needed to buy a median-priced home:

1. Oakland, CA: -4.6%

2. West Palm Beach, FL: -3.7%

3. Jacksonville, FL: -3.5%

4. San Diego, CA: -3.2%

5. Tampa, FL: -2.1%

6. Atlanta, GA: -2.0%

7. Phoenix, AZ: –1.8%

8. St. Louis, MO: -1.0%

9. Orlando, FL: -0.7%

10. Sacramento, CA: -0.4%

Our take

These markets with lower income thresholds are a rare opening for buyers who’ve been sidelined by high rates and prices. For agents, this is a chance to re-engage prospects who hit pause last year. For investors, it’s a window to enter competitive Sun Belt markets before demand catches up to renewed affordability. In today’s market, any shift toward easier entry is worth acting on quickly, because it rarely lasts.

Schematics

The news that just missed the cut

• AI boom creating new ultra-wealthy set to drive luxury real estate

• Agents are making more than in previous years, even with flat sales 

• Where Americans are moving to – and why

• Mortgage rates hit their lowest levels of 2025

• Kanye West’s former mansion, following a dramatic reconstruction, will list for $17M

Foundation Plans

Advice from James and David to win the day

In today’s edition, we’re concluding our mini-series on the best practices to use when working with homebuyers. The agents who stand out aren’t just reacting to buyer needs, they’re anticipating them and helping to create a smooth, stress-free buying experience. Here are four more best practices to help you serve buyers at the highest level:

1. Educate them on market conditions early – Many buyers enter the process with outdated or incomplete ideas about pricing, inventory, or competition. Share up-to-date market stats and neighborhood-level trends from the start. When buyers understand the current landscape, they can make faster, more confident decisions.

2. Leverage the power of timing – Even the right property at the wrong time can become a missed opportunity. Teach buyers how seasonality, days on market, and price-reduction patterns affect their search. Sometimes waiting is smart; other times, hesitation costs them the home. Your job is to help them read the tea leaves and discern the difference.

3. Prepare them for the offer process – Even experienced buyers can feel blindsided when the pace speeds up. Walk them through the offer timeline, contingencies, earnest money, and negotiation strategies before they fall in love with a home. This helps them keep their emotions in check and allows them to act decisively when it counts.

4. Build trust with vendor referrals – A great homebuying experience doesn’t end with the accepted offer. Connect clients with reliable inspectors, contractors, movers, and other service providers. Your network becomes part of your value, turning a stressful to-do list into a seamless transition to their new home.

The common thread here is consistency. Buyers remember the agents who guide them every step of the way. Make these practices part of your repertoire and you’ll not only close more deals, but you’ll also build a client base that keeps coming back.

Just in Case

Keep the latest industry data in your back pocket with today’s mortgage rates:

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We can’t emphasize Emerson’s advice enough. Take ownership of your life, friends. What you’re not changing, you’re choosing. Whatever your goal, the path is the same: make the move. Decide to become the person you want to be, and then act. Don’t just think about it.

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Tuesday!

- James and David