Highlights
- Burlington, NC reclaims its title as the hottest housing market in the country in August after topping the list last November.
- Likely reflecting remote-work flexibility, the top 20 hottest markets are spread out across 17 states — the most geographically diverse list on record.
- Affordability is a common factor among these top markets, with an average median list price among the top 20 of $299,000 in August—21.4% lower than the national median of $380,000
- The Orlando, FL metro area saw the largest increase in its Hotness ranking among larger metros compared to last year.
Burlington, NC reclaimed the top spot on the hottest housing markets list in August. Located just outside of the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina, this metro originally topped the list back in November 2020. Burlington first cracked into the top 20 in August 2019, and has been in the top 5 for eleven of the past twelve months.
Realtor.com’s Market Hotness rankings take into account two aspects of the housing market: 1) market demand, as measured by unique viewers per property on realtor.com, and 2) the pace of the market as measured by the number of days a listing remains active on realtor.com.
As pricey West coast markets have lost some appeal due to a combination of affordability concerns and work-from-home flexibility, market activity has spread out across the country. Seventeen states were represented on our list of top 20 hottest housing markets in August, the most of any month on record (since 2016).
California, which in January 2018 claimed 13 of the top 20 spots, now accounts for just one of the markets on our list. Midwestern markets accounted for 9 of the top 20 markets, while the Northeast accounted for 5 of the top 20. Southern housing markets are gaining ground on the list, with 4 spots on the list, up from just one a year ago.
The states featured in our top 20 list this month are: California, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
As a group, Realtor.com’s 20 Hottest Housing Markets received 1.4 to 2.8 times the number of viewers per home for sale compared to the national rate. These markets are seeing homes for sale move 9 to 21 days more quickly than the typical property in the United States overall.
As home prices reach record highs nationally, the hottest markets represent affordable pockets of housing where buyers can find homes in their price range. The hottest markets saw median listing prices reach $299,000 in August—21.4% lower, on average, than the national median of $380,000.
August 2021 – Top 20 Hottest Housing Markets
| Metro | Hotness Rank | Hotness Rank YoY | Viewers per Property vs US | Median Days On Market | Days on Market YoY | Median Listing Price |
| Burlington, NC | 1 | 17 | 2.5 | 18 | -25 | $290,000 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 2 | -1 | 2.5 | 21 | -12 | $405,000 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 3 | 93 | 2.1 | 22 | -36 | $199,000 |
| Johnson City, TN | 4 | 28 | 2.8 | 25 | -22 | $300,000 |
| Rochester, NY | 5 | -1 | 1.7 | 19 | -10 | $228,000 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 6 | 6 | 1.7 | 23 | -12 | $245,000 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 7 | 10 | 1.9 | 26 | -12 | $222,000 |
| Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna, CA | 8 | 14 | 1.9 | 27 | -16 | $430,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | 9 | 90 | 1.5 | 19 | -24 | $425,000 |
| Rapid City, SD | 10 | 101 | 1.7 | 27 | -32 | $372,000 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 11 | 36 | 2.1 | 29 | -22 | $470,000 |
| Topeka, KS | 12 | -10 | 1.8 | 28 | -4 | $177,000 |
| Waco, TX | 13 | 69 | 1.6 | 28 | -26 | $280,000 |
| Saginaw, MI | 14 | -4 | 1.5 | 26 | -6 | $155,000 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 15 | 9 | 2.1 | 30 | -14 | $225,000 |
| Worcester, MA-CT | 16 | 10 | 1.5 | 28 | -16 | $408,000 |
| Columbus, OH | 17 | -9 | 1.3 | 21 | -15 | $300,000 |
| Pottsville, PA | 18 | 28 | 1.7 | 30 | -21 | $110,000 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 19 | 61 | 1.4 | 25 | -26 | $285,000 |
| Billings, MT | 20 | 25 | 1.9 | 30 | -14 | $449,000 |
Burlington, NC Back on Top
The Burlington, NC metro area has been a mainstay in the top 20 hottest markets since 2019. Half of all homes in Burlington were selling in under 18 days in August—10 days faster than last year, and 21 days faster than is typical in the rest of the country. Properties in the metro drew in 2.5 times as many unique viewers per property as the typical home around the United States. The median listing price of homes in the Burlington area was $290,000 in August, up 1.1% year over year, which was 23.7% below the national median price of $380,000.
The nearly-flat growth in Burlington’s median listing price reflects a shift in the mix of homes for sale compared to last year. The demand for larger homes during the pandemic has resulted in smaller homes remaining on the market at lower prices, therefore showing a growth of only 1.1%. However, looking at prices on a per-foot basis tells a different story. The median home size was 1,429 in August, down 17% year over year; meanwhile, the price per square foot reached $137 per square foot, up 18.7% since last year.
Most Improved Large Markets
Larger urban markets continue to cool down in the rankings, with the largest 40 markets across the country dropping by 37 spots, on average, since last year.
Of the largest 40 metros, the most-improved housing markets were: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (+100 spots); Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (+85 spots); Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN (+69 spots); Jacksonville, FL (+57 spots) and Austin-Round Rock, TX (+30 spots).
After struggling early in the days of the pandemic, the Orlando, FL housing market is now returning to form, earning the position of fastest-rising large market on our list. In August, the Orlando area rose 100 spots in the rankings compared to last year, bringing it back into range of its typical rankings at this time of the season. The typical Orlando home spent a median time on market of 37 days, the shortest time for any August on record, according to available data going back to 2016. Moreover, the number of viewers per property in Orlando rose 74% year over year in August.
On the supply side, the five most-improved markets combined saw inventory move 12 days more quickly than last year. In comparison, the largest 40 markets overall saw properties sell 8 days faster than last year, on average. The time a typical property spent on the market in the most-improved markets is 5 days shorter, on average, compared to the national rate.
Markets Seeing the Largest Jump in Rankings (August 2021)
| Metro | Hotness Rank | Hotness Rank YoY | Viewers per Property vs US | Median Days On Market | Days on Market YoY | Median Listing Price |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 130 | 100 | 1.1 | 37 | -21 | $375,000 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 71 | 85 | 1.2 | 34 | -18 | $360,000 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 46 | 69 | 1 | 18 | -14 | $440,000 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 198 | 57 | 0.8 | 37 | -26 | $360,000 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 99 | 30 | 0.7 | 23 | -20 | $544,000 |
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