Realtor.com Predicts Top Housing Markets for 2026

(Providence, R.I., courtesy of Beth Fitzpatrick/pexels.com)

Realtor.com, Santa Clara, Calif., has released a forecast breaking down the hottest markets for 2026, almost all in the Northeast and Midwest.

Ranked No. 1 is the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn., area, with sales expected to rise 7.6% year-over-year and prices expected to grow by 9.5%.

No. 2 is Rochester, N.Y., with sales anticipated to grow 5.3%, and the median sales price expected to grow 10.3% annually. Next is Worcester, Mass.-Conn., market, with anticipated growth in sales of 12.6% and a price bump of 2.4% on an annual basis.

No. 4 is Toledo, Ohio, where a slight drop (1.2%) in home sales is expected, but balanced by an anticipated 13.1% rise in prices. And, Providence-Warwick, R.I.-Mass., is forecasted to see 7.1% more sales and a 4.1% bump in prices.

Rounding out the top 10 are Richmond, Va., Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich., Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis., New Haven-Milford, Conn., and Pittsburgh.

In general, said Realtor.com, these markets are relatively affordable with limited new construction and older and well-qualified buyers amid an older housing stock. They’re essentially all legacy markets in the Midwest or secondary cities in otherwise high-priced areas.

The median list price among the 10 markets is $384,000, below the $415,000 national median.

Realtor.com predicts lower mortgage rates on average next year, but posits they’ll still remain in the 6.3% range. “This means demand and activity will remain highest in Northeast and Midwestern markets that offer good value, specifically, more space at lower list prices,” the report said.