Here, there, and everywhere, home prices were higher in December, according to new data from Redfin.
For the first time since May 2022, home prices increased in each of the top 50 metropolitan areas in December. Home prices have been rising in a broader swath of cities for more than a year and a half after rising in just 19 metro areas in April 2023.
Home prices increased the fastest in historically affordable cities in the Midwest, like Cleveland (+15%), where the median sales price of $229,900 was almost $200,000 less than the national average. Prices rose nearly as fast in Milwaukee (+14.5%) and Philadelphia (+14%), where the median sales price was $320,000 and $285,000, respectively.
“Affordable housing havens have become harder and harder to come by; even places that saw some price relief last year, like Texas and Florida, are now seeing prices tick back up,” said Redfin Senior Economist Elijah de la Campa.
Housing affordability, despite improving slightly last year, remains near an all-time low due to the combination of elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory.
Prices continued to lag in Florida and Texas, where an influx of newcomers during the pandemic caused prices to spike, pushing out many potential buyers and encouraging new construction. The five cities with the slowest price growth were all located in those two states, with Tampa's 0.5% increase the smallest of the bunch.
Some real estate agents have observed that the pandemic homebuying frenzy has reset some sellers' expectations.
"A lot of sellers have a very specific number in mind because they saw their neighbor sell for $40,000 over the asking price during the pandemic. They’re willing to walk away if they don’t get that number, which is one factor keeping prices high," said Bonnie Phillips, a Redfin Premier real estate agent in Cleveland.
However, those sellers with high expectations are running up against wary buyers.
“With affordability so strained, buyers are feeling empowered to ask for discounts, but they’re often getting shut down by sellers—even for small asks,” said Phillips.
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