• Zillow has released its forecast for the hottest housing markets of 2025.
• The metros are spread across the Northeast, Great Lakes, South, Midwest, and West regions.
• Buffalo, New York, is projected to be the hottest market in 2025, followed by Indiana.

High home prices, rising mortgage rates, and inflation have sharply reduced buyer demand in the US real estate market, leading to a slowdown in home sales over the past few years — even in previously booming areas like Austin and the Bay Area.

Brighter days may be ahead.

Several forecasts point toward an increase in homebuying this year.

Some areas are poised to see more action than others. Zillow has forecasted 10 metros where homebuyer competition will be the fiercest, taking into account factors like price growth, new construction, and job growth in each area.

Buffalo earned the title of Zillow's hottest market for the second year in a row. Located on Lake Erie and somewhat close to Niagara Falls, the metro has become an appealing choice for buyers thanks to its relatively affordable homes and strong job market, according to Zillow.

"Common threads among 2025's hottest markets are affordability — or at least relative affordability compared to nearby markets — and inventory shortages that have not been able to keep up with demand," Anushna Prakash, a data scientist at Zillow, told Business Insider. "An inventory shortfall of course limits sales, but it also means competition for each home on the market is ratcheted up."

Here are 10 metro areas forecast to see the most homebuying competition in 2025, according to Zillow.