The Claman Countdown panelists Dolly Lenz and Jenny Lenz analyze prime locations Individuals wish to dwell.
By all accounts, 2024 was a tough 12 months for folk out there to buy their first home, with residence costs at report highs, elevated rates of interest, and hovering insurance coverage prices all worsening America’s housing affordability disaster.
The truth is, the share of first-time homebuyers hit a historic low final 12 months, accounting for less than 24% of purchases.
The market has been tough for potential homebuyers, particularly these trying to obtain the American dream for the primary time. A brand new examine exhibits one of the best locations to make a purchase in 2025. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
Nonetheless, demand is excessive, so for these nonetheless trying to make a purchase, Realtor.com lately launched its annual report on which cities supply the brightest alternatives for these able to take the leap into homeownership – and there have been shifts from years previous.
“The more affordable markets, especially for first-time home buyers, are starting to skew more Southern,” Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner informed FOX Enterprise.
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He stated that in final 12 months’s rankings, the digital actual property group noticed extra Northeastern and Midwestern markets within the combine, whereas this 12 months, three of the highest 10 had been in Florida alone.
“The Sun Belt was a major focus point for buyers during the overheated post-pandemic market, but as these Southern markets cool a bit, affordability is improving because of flat-to-falling listing prices there,” Berner defined.
Listed here are one of the best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2025, when it comes to the mix of the price of housing, availability of properties on the market, and high quality of the situation:
1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Median listing value $140,000 
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. (iStock / iStock)
2. Rochester, New York – Median listing value $129,9003. Villas, Florida – Median listing value $236,9504. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida – Median listing value $154,850
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5. Altamonte Springs, Florida – Median listing value $229,4006. Lansing, Michigan – Median listing value $135,000 
Aerial view of Lansing, Michigan (iStock / iStock)
7. North Little Rock, Arkansas – Median listing value $160,0008. Baltimore, Maryland – Median listing value $210,000
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9. Tonawanda, New York – Median listing value $229,90010. Wilmington, Delaware – Median listing value $222,000 
Overlooking Wilmington riverfront space from Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge, Wilmington, Delaware (Bo Shen / iStock)
Whereas these is likely to be one of the best locations to buy a primary residence this 12 months, Realtor.com acknowledges that the present affordability disaster within the U.S. will not be anticipated to vanish any time quickly.
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“There will absolutely be affordability challenges in 2025,” Berner informed FOX Enterprise. “Our best affordability hopes for 2025 are to see increased inventory, especially of smaller and more affordable homes, as builders respond to demand for affordable housing and homeowners who currently live in affordable homes make the move to upgrade.”
