• First-time homebuyers have had a hard time finding affordable homes.
• A ranking from Realtor.com shows the best cities in the US for first-time buyers.
• Smaller and suburban cities lead the list, and one region is nowhere to be found.

The current state of the housing market has made it challenging for first-time homebuyers, but a few cities around the US have easier markets than others.

The look of the first-time buyer has changed over the years, with the median age of the first-time buyer jumping to 38 in 2024 from 35 in 2023.

"When we think about first-time homebuyers, a lot of times we think young families and young professionals looking to get into the housing market for the first time," Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner told Business Insider. "And that's still true. But the other thing that is true — and becoming more true — is it's folks who have been in that position for several years now are just finally able to get into it."

With sticky listing prices and mortgage rates predicted to remain unchanged in 2025, first-time homebuyers face additional challenges.

A newly released report from Realtor.com ranked the best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2025. Three Florida cities made the list and two cities in New York did as well, but no cities on the west coast made the list.

This wasn't all that surprising, as plenty of movers have vacated the west looking for more affordable parts of the country, and Berner noted affordability made up 25% of the weighted score.

"Affordability is the main story we talk about, and it's a big struggle with mortgage rates just hovering right under 7% right now — not really going to get a lot of relief on that front," Berner told Business Insider.

Small towns and suburban cities dominated the list, offering a good mix of relief in listing prices as well as high location scores — a metric used by Realtor.com that factors in nearby amenities like daycares, nightlife, and restaurants.

While most of the cities on the list have populations under 200,000 residents, Baltimore is an outlier, with affordable home prices and a population of 585,708, according to census data.

"I think if that median listing price were just a little bit higher, it wouldn't have been here," Berner said. "But because it's a very affordable market, it can compete with some of these smaller towns."

Here are the top 10 cities for first-time homebuyers, according to Realtor.com.

1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Median listing price: $140,000

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 34.8

Price-to-income ratio: 2.6

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 20.6%

2. Rochester, New York

Median listing price: $129,900

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 21.2

Price-to-income ratio: 2.5

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 22.3%

3. Villas, Florida

Median listing price: $236,950

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 85.6

Price-to-income ratio: 3.4

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 14.1%

4. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida

Median listing price: $154,850

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 72.4

Price-to-income ratio: 2.7

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 11.2%

5. Altamonte Springs, Florida

Median listing price: $229,400

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 46.8

Price-to-income ratio: 3.6

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 19.4%

6. Lansing, Michigan

Median listing price: $135,000

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 42.3

Price-to-income ratio: 2.6

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 21.4%

7. North Little Rock, Arkansas

Median listing price: $160,000

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 38.5

Price-to-income ratio: 3.3

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 17.6%

8. Baltimore, Maryland

Median listing price: $210,000

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 51.6

Price-to-income ratio: 3.3

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 19.9%

9. Tonawanda, New York

Median listing price: $229,900

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 30.2

Price-to-income ratio: 2.9

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 14.2%

10. Wilmington, Delaware

Median listing price: $222,000

Home inventory per 1,000 households: 41.3

Price-to-income ratio: 4.1

Expected share of 25- to 34-year-old homeowners: 18.4%

The path to homeownership is lined with middlemen. Real-estate agents, mortgage brokers, attorneys — all help push a deal through and then claim a fee when the ink dries. Most buyers are aware of these parties, but one group mostly flies under the radar. Their fees are often hidden, lumped in with other charges or buried in paperwork. If you bought a home in the past decade or so, there's a decent chance you unknowingly paid hundreds of dollars for their services.

These are appraisal management companies, little-known players that have flourished in the aftermath of the 2008 housing crash. The job of an AMC is fairly straightforward: When someone wants to get a mortgage for a house, the lender will order an appraisal of the property to determine how much it's worth (and, by extension, how much they're willing to lend). But the bank or credit union typically won't hire an appraiser directly; they'll enlist an AMC to manage the process. The lender pays an agreed-upon sum to the AMC, which uses a chunk of that money to pay the appraiser and keeps the rest.

The AMC is basically a transaction coordinator that matches the bank with an appraiser, ensuring independence so that lenders don't pressure appraisers to contort their valuations. In many instances, however, the AMC's haul from an appraisal can match or exceed the amount paid to the person actually determining the value of the home. Most buyers will never realize this, since the AMC and appraisers' costs are often lumped together under an innocuous title like "appraisal fee" on closing paperwork. Appraiser groups complain that AMCs don't even solve the problem they're supposed to address — the middlemen, they say, are incentivized to find the cheapest appraiser so they can pocket more money, resulting in shoddy appraisals and a bad look for the industry. All those fees from millions of home transactions each year add up: Data on the industry is scarce, but an analysis of public filings from one of the country's largest AMCs suggests these companies charged consumers about $12 billion in a recent five-year span.

Some consumer advocates consider opaque appraisal fees to be one of the most egregious examples of hidden costs in homebuying. As buyers face a rise in closing costs — the pesky fees, like title insurance, that pile up at the end of a transaction and usually total thousands of dollars — AMCs are attracting more scrutiny. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as part of its crusade against junk fees, announced over the summer that it would look into various mortgage costs as well as "the growing power that appraisal management companies can wield over individual appraisal professionals."

The appraisal is a notorious pain point in the home-sale process: A low valuation can sink a deal, since the buyer may have to pick up the difference between their mortgage amount and the sum they've offered to the seller. Both buyers and homeowners are known to gripe about appraisals they see as faulty, delayed, or needlessly expensive, but few are aware of appraisal management companies' hand in the process. AMCs are unlikely to go away anytime soon, but people familiar with appraisals tell me consumers should at least know exactly what they're paying for — and have the chance to push back.

An appraisal is a critical part of any home purchase or refinancing. Sound appraisals don't just protect lenders from risky loans; they may also prevent consumers from overpaying and ending up underwater on their home, with more left on the loan than the house is worth. A typical valuation, which a 2023 survey by the National Association of Realtors found tends to cost a lender about $500, is based on a physical inspection of the property and research on comparable sales in the area. Those fees are typically passed directly to the borrower.

AMCs have been around for decades, but it wasn't until 2009 that they gained prominence. Before the financial crisis, lenders mostly worked with in-house appraisers or contracted directly with independent professionals to carry out the job. These cozy relationships offered ample room for fraud. Low appraisals were undesirable to a lender, because a borrower might not have the money to cover the gap between their offer and the mortgage amount. To avoid losing out on a deal, lenders pressured appraisers to deliver the goods (and blackballed the ones who refused). Both sides worked to pump up home values and keep the good times rolling — until the entire facade collapsed.

A web of new regulations — first through the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, then the Dodd-Frank Act — aimed to create some distance between lenders and appraisers. A lender could still technically manage appraisals in-house under the new rules, provided they separated the two sides of the business. Most decided it would be easier and cheaper to outsource the whole process to an AMC. Mark Schiffman, the executive director of the Real Estate Valuation Advocacy Association, the leading trade association for AMCs, estimates that 200 to 300 AMCs handle 70% to 75% of appraisals ordered by lenders in the US.

AMCs start by billing the lender a lump sum, which includes the amount they'll eventually pay the appraiser. The total fee for a simple single-family home could be about $500, while a more complicated job could run more than $1,000. The lender gets to select the services it wants the AMC to provide. The AMC will then send the requirements to its network of qualified appraisers, who submit bids for the work. The AMC chooses an appraiser, checks the quality of the appraisal, and then submits the report to the lender. The burden of paying for all of this, though, ultimately falls on the buyer, who foots the bill alongside their other closing costs, detailed in paperwork before a sale or refinancing wraps up. In some states the lender is required to separate the appraiser's fee from the total amount billed by the AMC, but it often appears as a single "appraisal fee."

There are other ways for a buyer to deduce the AMC's cut — the appraisal report, for instance, might include an invoice that shows exactly how much the appraiser made from the job, which could then be subtracted from the total appraisal fee. But appraisers tell me AMCs often discourage them from including an invoice for fear of confusing the buyer with two numbers — I saw one order from an AMC that specifically told the appraiser not to include an invoice in their report. The typical consumer probably wouldn't know to look for a difference anyway. Pretty much everyone I talked to for this story agreed that hardly anyone outside the appraisal world knows of AMCs. A buyer sees a bill for $600 or $700 and assumes all that money goes to the guy who crunched some numbers and nosed around their house for a few minutes.

Josh Tucker, an appraisal manager at a bank in Texas, has spent the past two years gathering evidence of the fee imbalance through a nonprofit he cofounded known as the Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council, which aims to root out fraud in appraisals. His organization has collected hundreds of examples of appraisal orders from some of the largest AMCs — Class Valuation, Clear Capital, Solidifi, and Nations Valuation Services, among others — and compared them with the standard fee schedules the AMCs provide to lenders. Other internal documents show the appraiser's fee alongside the AMC's fee. In many instances the AMC's cut roughly matches or exceeds the amount paid to the appraiser. Take, for example, a single-family home in California that was up for refinancing. The appraisal was managed by Solidifi, a nationwide AMC based in Buffalo, New York, that says it handles about one in nine appraisals in the US. The appraiser's fee was listed as $375, but the AMC fee was a whopping $725, for a total cost of $1,100 to the client. In another case, a townhome in Georgia, both Solidifi's and the appraiser's fees were about $300. A Solidifi spokesperson tells me that appraisers generally receive the majority of appraisal fees, adding that the company provides fee transparency to the lender and the appraiser by disclosing the breakdown for every transaction. The spokesperson also says that the company follows all applicable state and federal regulations, including paying customary and reasonable fees to appraisers.

Tucker calls AMCs' charges "one of the fees that is absolutely price gouging the consumer." It's unclear how much AMCs rake in in total, but securities filings from Real Matters, the publicly traded parent company of Solidifi, offer an approximation. Each year the company estimates the "total addressable market" for AMC services in the US. In the five years from 2019 through 2023, lenders ordered about 28 million appraisals for purchase and refinance mortgage originations. Real Matters multiplies that volume by Solidifi's average revenue per transaction to arrive at a dollar figure estimating how much Solidifi could bring in if it captured every single one of those transactions: $16.4 billion over those five years. Take into account the estimate that AMCs manage about 75% of appraisals and assume that Solidifi's fees are in line with the rest of the industry, and it appears AMCs could have charged consumers about $12.3 billion in that period, or about $2.5 billion a year.

This is a ballpark figure, since AMC fees vary by company and their revenue depends on the number of loans in a given year. But it may also be a conservative estimate; Real Matters says its estimate of appraisal volume is low because it doesn't include certain types of loans for which there isn't good data. Solidifi reports healthy margins on the appraisals it manages: After subtracting the payment to the appraiser and other "transaction costs," Solidifi keeps anywhere from 22% to almost 28% of the fees it charges lenders, depending on the year. And again, that fee is passed along to the borrower as part of closing costs.

Schiffman, of the AMC industry group REVAA, says that cases in which the AMC's fee outweighs the appraiser's are rare and that AMCs have their own costs to bear.

"It's more of an anomaly than anything else," Schiffman tells me. "Usually it's about the same. Sometimes it's higher, sometimes it's way lower." Chris Likens, the CEO of Nations Valuation Services, tells me his company's fees on a transaction never exceed the amount paid to the appraiser.

In some instances, both Schiffman and Likens say, an AMC may actually end up losing money on an appraisal if it turns out to be more complicated than expected. Both also note that finding an appraiser isn't the only thing AMCs do — they provide quality control after the appraisal to protect both lenders and consumers from faulty valuations. However, a 2018 working paper from the Federal Housing Finance Agency found that AMC and non-AMC appraisals "share a similar propensity for mistakes" and concluded there was "no clear evidence of any systematic quality differences between appraisals associated and unassociated with AMCs."

One solution, at least, seems pretty simple: Require lenders to make AMCs' fees clear to consumers. Have a line in the closing paperwork that shows what the AMC is making and another that shows what the appraiser billed. The website of one nationwide AMC advises mortgage lenders to check how their AMC's fees compare to the average, suggesting that "your AMC should retain about $100 to $125 per appraisal" with the remainder going to the appraiser. Yet the Appraisal Regulation Compliance Council has collected hundreds of examples in which the AMC's cut well surpassed that figure. And if lenders benefit from knowing the exact split, it seems reasonable for the consumer — the person actually paying for all this — to also have the chance to decide whether they're getting a fair shake.

Some states already require the fees to be disclosed separately in closing documents, but there's no federal mandate in place. In a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the summer, leaders of various appraisal industry associations argued that the agency has the ability to require this kind of disclosure under the Dodd-Frank Act. During a rulemaking session in 2013, the CFPB actually considered such a provision but ultimately decided against it. The CFPB concluded that requiring breakouts of the charges could "produce information overload" for consumers. The appraiser groups say that the decision was a mistake.

"This unused authority has allowed AMCs to abuse the conflation of where the singularly paid 'appraisal fee' flows after the consumer provides payment," the executives wrote, "reaping significant financial benefits while harming consumers and lenders along the way."

Schiffman tells me REVAA isn't opposed to a disclosure requirement, though he argues it would be an additional administrative burden and could confuse the consumer. Tucker, though, says it shouldn't be prohibitively difficult. And consumers, he tells me, have a right to know where their money is going.

"We have a captured industry," Tucker says, "where these middlemen get to kind of do whatever they want."

James Rodriguez is a senior reporter on Business Insider's Discourse team.

• Mike Cavanagh bought a 10-foot-wide skinny house in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in 2024
• It's a spite house because its developer decided to build what he could given city restrictions.
• Cavanagh said he's glad he bought the skinny house even though it attracts some curious onlookers.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Cavanagh, a 51-year-old regional manager for a medical device company, who purchased a skinny house built out of spite in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in 2024. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I realized it was time to downsize once my kids got older and moved out.

In 2020, I sold my 3,700-square-foot home and moved into a townhouse. I spent about four years renting, hoping the market would adjust, but it never did. I eventually decided it was time to buy something.

In June, I called a real-estate agent friend in Jacksonville Beach and said, "Hey, I'd like to see a few properties." We toured three homes — one was a townhouse, and the other two were three-bedroom houses. None of them felt right.

Later, they called and said, "I've got something you need to see. It's really unique."

The moment I walked into the house, I turned to my real-estate agent and said, "I'll take it."

The home is 10 feet wide and 1,547 square feet, with two bedrooms and 2½ baths. Despite its narrow layout, the exterior has great curb appeal. Inside, it has a modern feel, with beautiful flooring and tile work throughout.

The same day I toured the home, I made an offer. It was accepted, and we closed in just 30 days. I purchased it in early June for just over $600,000.

The home feels like the right size for me

At first, I didn't know much about the home's history. What drew me in was the neighborhood — it was quiet and peaceful, which I liked. The house is also the perfect size for me since I'm single. If I were 40 with young kids, it wouldn't have worked.

Eventually, I met with the home's builder. He explained that he had owned the lot for a long time, and while neighbors wanted to buy it, he wasn't willing to sell.

Originally, he wanted to build a 15-foot-wide home, but the city said no. So, he decided to do it his way and make the home 10 feet wide. That's how its unique design came to be.

I've definitely acclimated to the home. It doesn't feel small; its bumped-out walls give the house an almost container-like feel, reminiscent of an RV from the outside.

One of the home's unique features is its built-in nooks. The upstairs bedroom has a built-in platform where my mattress sits, so I don't need a bed frame.

Another important feature of the home is its natural light. The builder did an excellent job positioning the windows to create a bright, inviting atmosphere.

I hired a local designer, and together we developed a vision for the space.

I do entertain sometimes, but I don't have massive dinner parties. I just wanted to create a great environment for working from home.

We added a built-in white oak couch in the living room with custom cushions. It was a bit pricey but totally worth it because it's incredibly comfortable and has an artsy vibe. By the TV, we also installed built-in shelving and cabinets made from white oak.

I think the skinny house is a good investment

I think the fact that my home was featured on Zillow Gone Wild and that there used to be a "For Sale" sign in the yard both drew a lot of attention.

It's more subdued now, but I occasionally notice random people driving by or walking past and making comments.

I still get jokes, too. Some friends introduce me socially as "the guy who bought the skinny house."

Sometimes, when I meet my neighbors, they mention that they thought the house would be bought and turned into an Airbnb since there are plenty around Jacksonville Beach.

Compared to other cities in Florida, Jacksonville Beach has been slow to develop, which helps keep it affordable — especially relative to other beach towns.

As more people discover it's a fantastic place to live, there's been an influx of movers from the Northeast, some from California, and many from the Midwest.

My real-estate agent and I agreed that the house wouldn't lose equity with Jacksonville Beach's population growing.

If I change jobs or decide to move, I'm confident my home will attract enough interest to sell quickly. I could also rent it out on Airbnb. So I have plenty of options for the home in the long term.

But I plan to continue living in the home. It's my only property, and my job is based in the area, for now at least.

Overall, I do think buying the home was a good decision. Smart people just don't buy real estate to make money; they buy to have a great place to live — and to avoid losing money.

This home was definitely a solid investment.

• Single women in the US are outpacing men in homebuying, the National Association of Realtors found.
• In 2024, single women represent 20% of all homebuyers, compared to 8% for single men.
• Three single women shared with BI their motivations for buying a home without a partner or a spouse.

Karla Cobreiro, 33, lived with her parents for nearly a decade after college, diligently saving to buy her own home.

"I didn't want to be house-poor or struggle financially," Cobreiro, a publicist, told Business Insider. "I waited for the right moment — when I had a higher-paying job, had saved up a large down payment, and had built a solid emergency fund.

In 2022, she purchased a 900-square-foot condo in Downtown Doral, a Miami suburb, for around $400,000. She was 31 and single.

"I didn't have a partner at the time, but I didn't think that should stop me," Cobreiro said. "So I went for it."

Cobreiro is one of many single women in the US who haven't let the absence of a relationship or marriage stop them from buying a home — an achievement long seen as a key milestone of wealth building and the American dream.

An analysis of data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that single women have consistently outpaced single men in homebuying since the organization began tracking data in 1981.

The chart below shows that since 2020, the share of single women homebuyers has continued to increase steadily, while the share of single men has declined.

By 2024, the gap has reached its widest, with single women representing 20% of all homebuyers, compared to 8% for single men.

Single women find independence in homeownership

So why are single women statistically more likely to purchase homes than single men?

Brandi Snowden, NAR's director of member and consumer survey research, told BI that it largely comes down to lifestyle choices and women's unique societal roles.

Snowden explained that many single women purchase homes because they desire independence, have experienced divorce, and are responsible for raising children.

NAR found that female buyers are typically older than their male counterparts, with the median age for single women at 60, compared to 58 for single men.

"These buyers may be recently divorced or purchasing a home not just for themselves but also for their children and parents," Snowden said.

"It's just me and this mortgage."

Cobreiro said that buying a home without a spouse has its own challenges, such as settling for a smaller condo since she's not part of a DINK household — an acronym for "dual income, no kids."

Data from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances shows that DINKs have a median net worth of over $200,000. This financial advantage enables them to more easily afford housing or spend their disposable income on luxuries like boats and expensive cars.

Despite the financial benefits of a two-income household, many women have chosen to live independently in an era of increasing financial and social autonomy.

Cobreiro is responsible for a 30-year mortgage, which includes $2,500 in monthly payments and an additional $1,000 in HOA fees — all of which fall entirely on her.

"Though I live comfortably, If I get laid off, break a leg, or face an emergency, I'm on my own, she said. "I always joke to my friends, "It's just me and this mortgage."

Still, she believes the benefits of sole home ownership outweigh the risks of waiting to purchase with a boyfriend.

"I'm glad I didn't wait until I was in a relationship or married to buy a home," she said. "Owning a home with someone you're not committed to can get tricky, especially if you break up. There's no prenup; if you disagree about selling, that can get messy."

Some women say no prenup, no co-owning

New Yorker Jessica Chestler, 33, shares a similar perspective to Cobreiro.

In 2022, Chestler, a real-estate agent with Douglas Elliman and a business owner, purchased a three-bedroom condo in Williamsburg for $3.25 million.

She told BI that she viewed homeownership as an investment in her future, one she wasn't willing to risk with someone she wasn't fully committed to.

"When you're buying a home with someone else, there's obviously a lot more to consider, especially if you're not married," Chestler said. "There's always that uncertainty: What happens if you break up — how do you divide the assets?"

Chestler, who also renovated her home, said the greatest benefit of owning solo is the ability to rely on herself and the freedom to live on her own terms.

"I only had to consider myself," she said. "I didn't have to worry about anyone else's opinion. I loved the apartment, knew my numbers, and was confident I could make it work — That sense of comfort was really important to me."

Women say they don't need a knight in shining armor

Some single women who buy homes may have boyfriends but aren't waiting for a ring to start building wealth through home equity.

Take real-estate agent Ayriel Von Schert, who, in February, purchased a 2,280-square-foot townhouse for $365,000 in Mesa, Arizona, without a cosigner.

Although Von Schert, 30, is in a long-term committed relationship, she wanted to take control of her financial future.

"I think many women feel the same way: Why wait for someone else to help you achieve your goals?" she told BI.

Her decision to buy alone could pay off in the long run. Another unit in Von Schert's complex is on the market for $410,000. If it sells for that price, her home will have appreciated by about $35,000 in one year.

"In a few years, I might sell this place or keep it and rent it out while buying another property," she said. "My long-term goal is to build a real estate portfolio and earn residual income, and I feel like I'm definitely on the right path."

For now, she and her boyfriend are living like roommates, equally splitting the bills for the home, including utilities and the mortgage.

She said it's a win-win situation for both of them.

"I don't think he minds because we no longer have a landlord telling us what we can or can't do," she said.

Are you a single or unmarried woman who purchased a home? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Zillow analyzed millions of listings to find key words and phrases being mentioned more.
• It identified five trends it predicts homebuyers will keep clamoring for in 2025.
• Interest in vintage-inspired interiors and electric-vehicle chargers, for example, is booming.

The American home is having an identity crisis.

Many newly constructed homes are smaller, with fewer hallways and shrinking backyards — yet they are significantly more expensive than just a decade ago.

As homebuilding trends evolve, buyers and homeowners are also reimagining what they want from their living spaces.

By analyzing hundreds of home features and design styles from millions of for-sale listings in 2024, Zillow has identified the top emerging home trends for the year ahead.

Zillow found that in response to higher living costs and growing concerns about the climate crisis, buyers will want homes that are eco-friendly, resilient to climate disasters, and equipped with smart home technology.

"Technology has empowered homeowners to live more sustainably and affordably, which is increasingly important to prospective buyers," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. She added that homeowners and buyers are simultaneously "looking to the past" to give their homes character, even in "the most high-tech environments."

According to Zillow, here are five home trends to watch in 2025, from solar-powered energy systems to vintage-inspired interiors.

1. Buyers want homes that protect them during natural disasters

The climate crisis is driving a rise in extreme weather events including hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes across the US.

The increasing frequency and intensity of these storms have encouraged people to seek homes that offer enhanced safety during natural disasters — that are hurricane-resistant, for example. Homes like that may reduce the risk of costly repairs.

Zillow found that mentions of flood barriers in for-sale listings have increased by 22% since 2023, while references to water catchment systems have risen by 19%. The use of the term seismic retrofitting — the modification of structures to enhance their earthquake resistance — is up 20%. Drought-resistant turf yards also appear in listings 14% more frequently than last year.

2. People want to live in eco-friendly homes

Homebuyers don't just want a house — they want one equipped with smart, eco-friendly technology that helps reduce their carbon footprint.

Zillow found that the fastest-growing sought-after feature this year is whole-home batteries. These systems, often paired with solar panels, store excess energy for use during cloudy days or power outages. Mentions of this feature in for-sale listings have increased by 62% compared to last year.

Buyers are also showing greater interest in electric vehicle (EV) chargers, which have appeared in 34% more Zillow listings compared to 2023, and induction cooktops, up 5% from last year.

3. People are on the hunt for "cozy" homes that offer comfort and solace in stressful times.

Zillow found that as the pandemic-era dip in home prices fades, so too does some buyers' preference for larger living spaces.

In search of greater affordability, many are now gravitating toward cozier homes that may also be more budget-friendly.

As a result, mentions of "cozy" — sometimes a euphemism for "small" — in for-sale listings have increased by 35% compared to last year.

6. Buyers are looking for spa vibes at home.

According to Zillow, as homeowners prioritize mental and physical well-being, "wellness design" is emerging as a major trend in homes.

Data from the company shows that the share of for-sale listings featuring wellness-focused amenities has increased by 16% compared to last year.

One such feature gaining traction with buyers is the wet room, a waterproof space that combines a shower and bathtub into one seamless area, often without a shower curtain or glass divider.

Popular in Europe and Asia for years, Zillow predicts wet rooms may make their way into more American homes.

5. Homebuyers are embracing a vintage aesthetic.

Young homebuyers will reject the minimalist styles favored by older generations and embrace vintage interior designs featuring antique furniture, floral patterns, and tapestries.

Zillow's data highlights a growing interest in nostalgia-driven design, with mentions appearing in 14% more for-sale listings compared to 2023. Similarly, references to "vintage" have increased by 9%. The company also found that bibliophilic decor and home libraries are gaining popularity, with mentions rising by 22% in listings.

It's not just the "I Love Lucy" set that homebuyers want to channel — many will also aim for "The Gilded Age."

Zillow found that mentions of Victorian-era sculleries — hidden back kitchens used for meal prep and entertaining —have increased by 8% in for-sale listings this year compared to last.

• The red-hot US housing market could cool off slightly in 2025, making it easier to buy a home.
• Expect stable or declining mortgage rates and more housing inventory, according to Redfin.
• However, it's still prohibitively difficult for younger homebuyers to break into the market.

The American dream of home ownership has become increasingly harder to achieve in the last few years. Home prices are elevated, mortgage rates are high, and housing supply is constrained. That's not to mention the growing threat of climate change, which is driving up housing costs such as insurance, HOA fees, and property taxes in high-risk states.

There's both some good and bad news on the horizon for homebuyers, according to housing market experts.

The good news? On the whole, it'll be easier to buy a house in 2025. But the bad news, for younger homebuyers at least, is that's mostly just the case for boomers. Homeownership is actually looking as distant as ever for first-time buyers, especially Gen Z and millennials.

3 reasons it'll be easier to buy a house in 2025

First, housing prices are projected to increase slower than in previous years. Redfin economists Daryl Fairweather and Chen Zhao predict that median US home-sale prices will rise by 4% in 2025. Goldman Sachs has a similar outlook for 2025, predicting that US home prices will increase by 4.4%. That's roughly in line with median wage growth. Considering that US home prices shot up over 40% between March 2020 and January 2024, this sanguine prediction is good news for prospective homebuyers.

Another impediment to homeownership has been high mortgage rates, which have more than doubled in the last few years. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has risen from below 3% in 2021 to around 7%.

While a 7% rate is still high historically, it's a sign of improvement from this housing cycle's high of 7.8% in October 2023. And rates could come down further in 2025, according to housing market experts. Redfin expects mortgage rates to stay the same or decrease next year. Realtor.com forecasts mortgage rates to end 2025 at 6.2%.

Lastly, experts predict that new housing inventory will hit the market, bringing relief on the supply side. A Republican sweep in Congress is a positive sign for homebuilders, as the construction industry will benefit from fewer regulations, according to Redfin.

In October before the election, Jeffery Roach, chief economist of LPL Financial, said that an increase in housing starts, or construction of new residential housing units, was a signal for more single-family homes hitting the market over the course of the next few quarters. According to Realtor.com, housing starts for new single-family homes could hit 1.1 million in 2025, a 13.8% increase.

All of these factors could improve the housing market going into 2025. Redfin predicts that home sales will increase anywhere between 2% and 9% next year.

No houses for young homebuyers

But unfortunately, if you're a first-time homebuyer, you're probably out of luck. Redfin doesn't expect the increase in home sales to be driven by young or working-class buyers. It's looking likely that any new housing inventory that hits the market will go toward older Americans first.

"Instead, affordable homes will be snapped up by older buyers who are priced out of higher price tiers," Fairweather and Zhao wrote in a recent report.

Indeed, first-time homebuyers are having unprecedented difficulty in the housing market. It's typically more difficult for first-time buyers to purchase a home because they don't have funds from selling a previous home to use for a down payment and mortgage payments, Redfin said in a June report, but today's housing environment is especially hostile towards young buyers.

Wages simply haven't kept up with the pace of home price increases over the past five years. According to Elijah de la Campa, a Redfin senior economist, the cost of starter homes have increased twice as fast as incomes during that time. Additionally, for Gen Z and millennials, student loans and credit card debt are emerging as roadblocks to homeownership, as it's difficult to qualify for mortgages with a poor credit score and high levels of debt.

As a result, the median age of first-time homebuyers is now 38, according to the National Association of Realtors — an all-time high. That's up from 35 in 2023. First-time homebuyers are also an increasingly smaller proportion of the market, at just 24% in the 12-month period ending in June 2024. The year prior, that proportion was 32%.

Comparatively, boomers have an advantage in the housing market. According to Edward Yardeni, president of financial research firm Yardeni Research, boomers own roughly half of the nation's net worth and homeowner equity, giving them a leg up in the housing market. Now, as boomers age and look to downsize their homes or move elsewhere for retirement, they can take advantage of the home equity they've amassed from years of home ownership.

"Gen Zers, meanwhile, will keep living with family or renting until well into their 30s," wrote Fairweather and Zhao.

• US News & World Report created a list of the best places to live in the US in 2024.
• Factors such as housing affordability, job opportunities, and quality of life determined the list.
• Naples, Florida, tops 2024's list, followed by Boise, Idaho, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Deciding where to live isn't always easy.

Some people move multiple times in a decade, searching for new experiences or better opportunities. Others end up regretting relocating to their new homes.

While everyone's circumstances are unique, data can help narrow down the choices.

Every year, US News & World Report ranks 150 big cities based on factors including quality of life, schools, crime rates, employment opportunities, and housing affordability to find the best places to live in the United States.

For 2024's list, the South and the Midwest have the most cities ranked in the top 15.

Booming Boise, Idaho; outdoorsy Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the bustling banking hub of Charlotte, North Carolina, all consistently make the list of the best places to live. Newcomers include Austin, a growing tech hub, and two scenic South Carolina locales: Greenville and Charleston.

In addition to weighing job opportunities and housing costs, US News & World Report emphasizes each area's overall standard of living.

Here are the 15 best places to live in the US, according to US News & World Report. Residents find plenty to like about these cities, including relatively affordable homes, plenty of jobs, and lots of ways to spend their free time.

15. Lexington, Kentucky

Population of the metro area: 320,154

Median home price: $331,000

Median monthly rent: $1,600

Median household income: $66,392

Climate Vulnerability Index: 58th percentile (average vulnerability). This index shows areas of the US most likely to face challenges from climate change.

Known for: Home to over 450 horse farms, Lexington is known as the horse capital of the world. While it doesn't have the Kentucky Derby, Keeneland Race Track holds its own horse races twice a year.

14. Madison, Wisconsin

Population of the metro area: 280,305

Median home price: $415,000

Median monthly rent: $1,700

Median household income: $70,484

Climate Vulnerability Index: 6th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: Wisconsin's capital is also the state's second-largest city. Madison is a college town, offering plenty of chances to see concerts and sporting events.

13. Charleston, South Carolina

Population of the metro area: 155,369

Median home price: $617,500

Median monthly rent: $2,800

Median household income: $89,083

Climate Vulnerability Index: 55th percentile (average vulnerability)

Known for: With its cobblestone streets and 18th- and 19th-century buildings, Charleston is a dream for historic-architecture buffs. Plus, miles of beachy coastline are just a short trip from downtown.

12. Green Bay, Wisconsin

Population of the metro area: 105,744

Median home price: $318,000

Median monthly rent: $999

Median household income: $66,950

Climate Vulnerability Index: 15th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: Wisconsin's oldest city is home to the Green Bay Packers, a storied NFL team. Nature lovers can make the most of Green Bay's 25-mile Fox River State Trail, even in the winter.

11. Sarasota, Florida

Population of the metro area: 57,602

Median home price: $488,500

Median monthly rent: $2,800

Median household income: $68,870

Climate Vulnerability Index: 24th percentile (lower vulnerability)

Known for: Sarasota earned the nickname the Circus City because Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus moved its winter quarters to the beachy town in 1927. These days, the weather, leisurely pace of life, and lack of income tax all attract people to Florida. Sarasota, in particular, has become a magnet for workers, according to a January LinkedIn report.

10. Boulder, Colorado

Population of metro area: 105,898

Median home price: $945,000

Median monthly rent: $2,995

Median household income: $75,923

Climate Vulnerability Index: 12th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: Not far from the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is known for outdoorsy activities, including rock climbing, hiking, skiing, and cycling. The city's median age is 28.6, giving it a youthful, lively energy.

9. Austin

Population of metro area: 979,882

Median home price: $484,900

Median monthly rent: $2,000

Median household income: $91,501

Climate Vulnerability Index: 20th percentile (lower vulnerability)

Known for: An artsy, contemporary city, Austin is known for its vibrant nightlife, live music, eclectic cuisine, and college scene. It also has a long history of attracting tech giants, and even more companies have opened offices there since the pandemic. West Coasters in the industry have moved to the city, lured by the booming job market and comparatively low cost of living.

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Population of metro area: 453,649

Median home price: $384,500

Median monthly rent: $2,195

Median household income: $91,141

Climate Vulnerability Index: 18th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: Boasting a beloved boardwalk, Virginia Beach has miles of beaches, delectable seafood, and a mild climate. Murals, museums, and shops in the ViBe Creative District give the seaside destination some arty flair, too.

7. Huntsville, Alabama

Population of metro area: 225,564

Median home price: $315,000

Median monthly rent: $1,465

Median household income: $73,319

Climate Vulnerability Index: 54th percentile (average vulnerability)

Known for: Since the start of the US space program in the 1950s Huntsville has been a hub for the aerospace and defense industries. Today it's bursting with startups, alongside long-standing workplaces like NASA and Boeing. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin also has a facility for building rocket engines in Huntsville.

6. Raleigh, North Carolina

Population of metro area: 482,295

Median home price: $450,000

Median monthly rent: $1,826

Median household income: $86,309

Climate Vulnerability Index: 13th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: This capital city has a busy downtown, free museums, and miles of hiking trails. Part of North Carolina's Research Triangle, Raleigh has a long history of fostering technology and science companies, creating a strong local economy.

5. Charlotte, North Carolina

Population of the metro area: 911,311

Median home price: $424,900

Median monthly rent: $1,950

Median household income: $80,581

Climate Vulnerability Index: 35th percentile (lower vulnerability)

Known for: Second only to New York, Charlotte is a bustling banking hub. Locals can root for the city's professional basketball, football, and soccer teams or soak up the art and food scenes.

4. Greenville, South Carolina

Population of the metro area: 72,824

Median home price: $366,500

Median monthly rent: $1,725

Median household income: $73,536

Climate Vulnerability Index: 55th percentile (average vulnerability)

Known for: In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville attracts new residents with its moderate climate, burgeoning food reputation, and natural beauty. Greenville is also home to several major corporations, including Michelin, GE, and Lockheed Martin.

3. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Population of the metro area: 488,664

Median home price: $440,000

Median monthly rent: $1,873

Median household income: $83,215

Climate Vulnerability Index: 34th percentile (average vulnerability)

Known for: The US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center is located in Colorado Springs, making the city especially attractive to athletes. There are hundreds of miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, and white water rafting is a popular summer activity. From the Garden of the Gods to the iconic Pikes Peak, gorgeous natural sights adorn the area.

2. Boise, Idaho

Population of the metro area: 235,421

Median home price: $472,500

Median monthly rent: $1,774

Median household income: $79,977

Climate Vulnerability Index: 9th percentile (lowest vulnerability)

Known for: Thousands of new residents flocked to Idaho's capital in the past decade, making it the US's fastest-growing city in 2018. Boise blends sought-after amenities such as microbreweries and cider houses with nearby scenic state parks full of rivers, canyons, and mountains.

1. Naples, Florida

Population of the metro area: 19,704

Median home price: $629,500

Median monthly rent: $6,100

Median household income: $135,657

Climate Vulnerability Index: 32nd percentile (lower vulnerability)

Known for: Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, Naples is like a postcard come to life, with white-sand beaches, luxurious residences, and over 1,350 holes of golf. The city has long attracted wealthy residents who can afford the high housing costs. Right now a $295 million compound is up for grabs, the most expensive home for sale in the US.

Sources: Population and income data are from the US Census, median home price from Realtor.com, median rent from Zillow, and climate information from the Climate Vulnerability Index.

This story was originally published on May 15, 2024, and most recently updated on December 4.