Rental Demand Shifts to Cheaper Markets, Signaling Future Home Sales Trends
Rental demand in the U.S. is increasingly shifting towards more affordable markets, with cities like Buffalo, Chicago, and Houston experiencing the largest growth in out-of-town rental searches on Zillow. This trend is driven by persistently high home prices, which are causing more renters to delay home purchases. As rents begin to rise again after a period of easing, tenants are relocating to markets where both rental and home prices are lower. Mischa Fisher, chief economist at Zillow, notes that a surge in out-of-town browsing in these areas indicates a developing pipeline of newcomers. While most out-of-town searches originate from neighboring states, New York City is an exception, with renters frequently looking for listings in Sunbelt cities such as Raleigh, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. The national median price of an existing home sold in July was $434,100, according to the National Association of Realtors, making lower-priced markets more attractive.