By region, sales rose in the Midwest, Northeast and South but fell in the West. 

Bold, geometric designs like chevrons, sunbursts, zigzags and stepped shapes are making a huge comeback as of late — and Houzz said that will continue into 2026.

At the same time, time on market jumped as inventory increased. 

The chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS® also predicts home prices will climb 4% compared to 2025. 

At the same time, the average age of the first-time buyer hit an all-time high of 40, according to the 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. 

At the top of the list? WaterSense fixtures — the plumbing solution, which claims to reduce water use by more than 20%, increased in popularity by 289.6%.

Nationwide, the median price for a single-family home increased 1.7% year over year to $426,800. Prices increased by the same annual rate during the second quarter.

Among the green features most prioritized by clients, windows, doors and siding topped the list.

Given the rate of sales, the nation had a 4.6-month housing supply, up from 4.2 months a year prior.

Nationally, home sales in the 52 metro areas surveyed by RE/MAX increased 8.5% year over year for the fourth time in 2025, but declined 4.6% month over month.

At the same time, days on market jumped year over year, Mainstreet REALTORS® said.

Tapping into Realtor intel, Zillow analyzed its listing database for keywords that are increasing most in popularity heading into the new year.

Agent Publishing Founder and Publisher Anne Hartnett discusses Brokerage Culture with Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty’s Val Burmester, Rachel Schindler and Dean Jones.

The pace of home sales, meanwhile, remained at “multi-decade lows” even as affordability reached its most favorable level since 2022.

Staid markets in the Midwest that missed the fervid speculation of the pandemic are now enjoying healthy gains.

Searches for “fixer-upper” on Realtor.com in July 2025 have more than tripled in volume compared to four years ago.