Indianapolis, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., top Zillow's list of metropolitan markets where homebuyers can expect to find flexibility in negotiating for relatively budget-friendly homes that have a combination of cooling prices and anticipated appreciation. Jacksonville, Fla., and Oklahoma City round out the top five. Notably, most of Zillow's top 10 buyer-friendly markets are in the Midwest and the Sun Belt.
"Home shoppers have room to breathe in these buyer-friendly markets,” said Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow®. “Lower competition gives buyers more time to decide and wiggle room to negotiate, adding up to a less stressful shopping experience. Cooling prices today, paired with expected growth ahead, make for a good entry point for those who have been waiting for the right moment.”
Zillow analyzed housing conditions across major U.S. markets using three key measures that indicate buyer-friendly conditions: cooling home value growth now and forecasted appreciation ahead, the share of income a median earner would put toward the mortgage payment on a typical home and less buyer competition, according to Zillow's Market Heat Index. See the list of top 50 markets here.
Earlier this month, Zillow named Hartford, Conn., the hottest market of 2026.
