Housing supply is outpacing demand in many areas, giving buyers negotiating power, moderating price growth, and creating overall favorable buying conditions in several affordable markets heading into spring 2026.
The return of spring means warmer temperatures, leaves on all the trees, and peak homebuying season.
This time of year typically brings heightened activity and competition — both from more house hunters entering the fray and a greater number of homeowners listing their properties for sale.
However, 2026’s conditions came together slightly differently than in recent years, making several markets beneficial for homebuyers.
Mortgage Research Network’s Top 10 Homebuyer Markets for Spring 2026
These 10 metropolitan areas offer homebuyers the advantages of potentially lower competition and comparative affordability in time for the peak spring season.
They all feature a heavy surplus of sellers, sales prices below the national median, and days on market above the national median. They were then ranked by the ratio of sellers to buyers.
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the Lone Star State occupied the top half of the list with Austin leading the way, followed by San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Pittsburgh is the only northern city to make the cut and also has the least expensive sales price.
San Antonio saw the largest annual drop in sales at 15.3%, while Charlotte, NC, gained the most listings, adding 9.5% more for-sale inventory year-over-year.
| U.S. Metro Area | Seller-Buyer Ratio | Median Sales Price | Median Sales Price, YoY Change | Median Days on Market | Homes Sold, YoY Change | Active Listings, YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 1.40:1 | $422,921 | 1.10% | 66 | -4.20% | 1.90% |
| Austin, TX | 2.24:1 | $409,434 | -1.10% | 108 | -11.50% | 3.70% |
| San Antonio, TX | 2.14:1 | $292,000 | -1.00% | 105 | -15.30% | 0.70% |
| Houston, TX | 1.94:1 | $325,000 | 0.00% | 79 | -7.10% | 4.70% |
| Dallas, TX | 1.94:1 | $392,183 | -2.10% | 85 | -9.80% | -0.90% |
| Fort Worth, TX | 1.80:1 | $349,999 | 0.00% | 71 | -5.40% | -3.80% |
| Atlanta, GA | 1.80:1 | $375,650 | -1.10% | 78 | -9.50% | 7.50% |
| Charlotte, NC | 1.74:1 | $400,000 | 1.30% | 84 | -9.70% | 9.50% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1.68:1 | $229,000 | 1.80% | 77 | 1.60% | 0.90% |
| Orlando, FL | 1.63:1 | $400,000 | 0.00% | 70 | -6.50% | -5.60% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1.61:1 | $353,750 | -0.50% | 90 | -7.20% | -12.50% |
Source: Redfin, all data as of January 2026
Where Home Sellers Outnumber Buyers
Supply and demand strongly shape housing markets. When too many buyers vie for too few homes, values rise, and listing timeframes fall. Excess inventory gives the buyer the upper hand and can mean flat or declining home prices.
Redfin defines a balanced market as one in which the number of buyers and sellers differs by no more than 10%. In other words, for every 100 sellers, there are 90-110 buyers. Larger discrepancies tip the scales in favor of one group.
The U.S. real estate market had 44% — a total of 600,314 — more home sellers than buyers in January, according to a Redfin report. That translates to 1.44 sellers for every one buyer. Although this decreased from December’s record-setting 1:45:1 ratio, it marked the second-highest divide since at least 2013 and surged over 30% from the year before.
However, that split varied greatly by location: There are 31% fewer sellers than buyers in Newark, NJ, a 0.69:1 seller-buyer ratio (5,812 vs 8,390), and 2.59 sellers for each buyer in Miami, FL (19,860 vs 7,673).
Other southern cities topped the list for buyer leverage, with home sellers exceeding buyers in Fort Lauderdale, FL, by 2.28:1 (19,030 vs 8,341), Austin, TX, by 2.24:1 (16,945 vs 7,558), Nashville, TN, by 2.2:1 (15,317 vs 6,970), and San Antonio, TX, by 2.14:1 (17,977 vs 8,409).
Overall, 39 of the 50 largest metros qualified as a buyer’s market, six were balanced, while five favored sellers. The five seller’s markets were Newark, NJ (0.69:1; 5,812 vs 8,390), Nassau County, NY (0.71:1; 7,335 vs 10,261), Montgomery County, PA (0.74:1; 5,098 vs 6,923), Milwaukee, WI (0.74:1; 4,853 vs 6,535), and New Brunswick, NJ (0.83:1; 9,046 vs 10,867).
| U.S. Metro Area | Seller-Buyer Ratio | Median Sales Price | Median Days on Market | Median Days on Market, YoY Change | Pending Sales, YoY Change | Homes Sold, YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 1.4:1 | $422,921 | 66 | 7 | -3.60% | -4.20% |
| Miami, FL | 2.59:1 | $560,000 | 99 | 9 | -1.80% | -2.90% |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | 2.28:1 | $447,500 | 106 | 14 | 0.10% | -2.40% |
| Austin, TX | 2.24:1 | $409,434 | 108 | 12 | 1.20% | -11.50% |
| Nashville, TN | 2.2:1 | $455,000 | 91 | 13 | -4.30% | -7.00% |
| San Antonio, TX | 2.14:1 | $292,000 | 105 | 21 | -10.50% | -15.30% |
| West Palm Beach, FL | 1.98:1 | $530,000 | 96 | 8 | 8.20% | 0.60% |
| Houston, TX | 1.94:1 | $325,000 | 79 | 19 | -11.50% | -7.10% |
| Dallas, TX | 1.94:1 | $392,183 | 85 | 11 | -10.70% | -9.80% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1.92:1 | $435,000 | 78 | 18 | -6.70% | -8.40% |
| Tampa, FL | 1.85:1 | $372,000 | 64 | 10 | -9.60% | -13.60% |
Source: Redfin, all data as of January 2026
Where Home Prices Came Down
In the last year, home value growth mellowed to historically normal levels, a relief from the record rates we experienced earlier in the decade.
“Home prices grew so fast for so long that a lot of buyers got shut out of the market, which is now causing price growth to cool,” said Asad Khan, senior economist at Redfin. “With far more homes for sale than people who want to buy them, the buyers who are in the market have the power to negotiate on price, which is keeping price growth in check.”
The national median home sales price rose 1.1% in January to $422,921. Of the 50 largest metro areas, 19 had negative annual home price growth. The median sales price fell furthest in San Jose, CA, dropping 5.6% year-over-year. However, a median price tag at the heart of Silicon Valley still rings up to $1.4 million.
The second-largest yearly decline came at 3.6% in Portland, OR, with decreases of 2.7% in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2.5% in Riverside, CA, and 2.2% in Seattle, WA, rounding out the top 5.
| U.S. Metro Area | Median Sales Price, YoY Change | Median Sales Price | Seller-Buyer Ratio | Median Days on Market | Median Days on Market, YoY Change | Active Listings, YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | 1.10% | $422,921 | 1.44:1 | 66 | 7 | 1.90% |
| San Jose, CA | -5.60% | $1,400,000 | 1.27:1 | 33 | 5 | -4.00% |
| Portland, OR | -3.60% | $525,000 | 1.40:1 | 65 | 8 | 0.90% |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | -2.70% | $447,500 | 2.28:1 | 106 | 14 | -6.70% |
| Riverside, CA | -2.50% | $575,000 | 1.56:1 | 70 | 9 | -5.30% |
| Seattle, WA | -2.20% | $758,000 | 1.23:1 | 56 | 17 | 10.50% |
| Dallas, TX | -2.10% | $392,183 | 1.94:1 | 85 | 11 | -0.90% |
| Phoenix, AZ | -1.90% | $459,000 | 1.75:1 | 76 | 8 | 3.30% |
| Denver, CO | -1.70% | $565,000 | 1.40:1 | 69 | 11 | 4.10% |
| Atlanta, GA | -1.10% | $375,650 | 1.80:1 | 78 | 8 | 7.50% |
| Austin, TX | -1.10% | $409,434 | 2.24:1 | 108 | 12 | 3.70% |
Source: Redfin, all data as of January 2026
Cities With the Lowest Median Sales Price
The median sales price across the United States sits at $422,921. However, many metro areas offer affordable housing options for far less.
Detroit, MI, boasts the lowest median sales price at $180,000. Next came $222,250 in Cleveland, OH; $229,000 in Pittsburgh, PA; $255,500 in St. Louis, MO; and $287,000 in Philadelphia, PA.
| U.S. Metro Area | Median Sales Price | Median Sales Price, YoY Change | Seller-Buyer Ratio | Median Days on Market | Median Days on Market, YoY Change | Active Listings, YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | $422,921 | 1.10% | 1.44:1 | 66 | 7 | 1.90% |
| Detroit, MI | $180,000 | 4.10% | 1.46:1 | 47 | 10 | 16.60% |
| Cleveland, OH | $222,250 | 8.40% | 0.94:1 | 45 | 4 | 1.20% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $229,000 | 1.80% | 1.68:1 | 77 | 3 | 0.90% |
| St. Louis, MO | $255,500 | -0.60% | 1.09:1 | 43 | 6 | 10.00% |
| Philadelphia, PA | $287,000 | 10.00% | 1.24:1 | 61 | 8 | 0.60% |
| Cincinnati, OH | $289,900 | 5.00% | 1.35:1 | 59 | 4 | 5.60% |
| San Antonio, TX | $292,000 | -1.00% | 2.14:1 | 105 | 21 | 0.70% |
| Indianapolis, IN | $300,000 | 2.00% | 1.26:1 | 53 | 12 | 7.60% |
| Warren, MI | $305,500 | 6.30% | 1.18:1 | 45 | 9 | 4.30% |
| Houston, TX | $325,000 | 0.00% | 1.94:1 | 79 | 19 | 4.70% |
Source: Redfin, all data as of January 2026
Spring 2026 Is Shaping up to Be Great for Buyers
While prospective homebuyers have been sidelined in recent years by rising interest rates, high property values, and other elevated homeownership costs, it looks like the tides are finally changing in many markets across the country. If you've been waiting to buy, this spring may finally be the right time to take action.
Methodology
In determining the top 10 housing markets best set up for homebuyer success, Mortgage Research Network analyzed Redfin data from the 50 most populous metro areas as of January 2026, the most up-to-date at the time of this writing. For a market to qualify, it had to have an excess of sellers, home sales prices below the national median, and listing times over the national median. They were then ranked by seller-to-buyer ratio.
