Markets

Northeastern and Midwestern Markets Dominate the Winter Buying Season

The hottest January housing markets were located predominantly in the Northeast and the Midwest, but will a thawing spring market motivate buyers to purchase elsewhere?
Feb. 23, 2023

Winter is typically a slow time for home sales nationwide, but some popular metros are still seeing speedy growth even as the rest of the U.S. responds to a gradual housing recession. Manchester, N.H., was the hottest market in January, topping the list for the 18th time in the past two years, Realtor.com reports. Following closely behind was Rochester, N.Y.

While the Northeast continued to attract the largest share of homebuyers at the start of 2023, the Midwest also snagged a number of the top spots on Realtor.com’s hottest markets list, thanks to its affordable regional prices and relatively bountiful inventory.

Wisconsin had three spots in the top 20, Illinois had two, and Kansas and Indiana each nabbed one. The Midwestern markets on the list received an average of 1.8 times the number of views as the typical listing.

But it’s Ohio that continues to stand out as a hot-market heavyweight.

Average home prices in Ohio range from $344,000 in Dayton, No. 6, to $176,000 in Akron, No. 10, making these cities an attractive option for buyers facing today’s higher mortgage payments. Cincinnati came in at No. 14 followed by Canton at No. 17.

Read more

Sign-up for Pro Builder Newsletters
Get all of the latest news and updates.