Redfin Reports Home Prices Are Rising Fast in the Midwest

Home prices in Milwaukee jumped 20% year over year in February, a bigger increase than any other major U.S. metro. Nationwide, prices rose 3%, and pending sales fell the most since 2023.

(NASDAQ: RDFN) — The Midwest is home to three of the five metro areas where home prices are rising fastest, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage.

In Milwaukee, the median home sale price rose a record 20% year over year in February to $330,000—the biggest jump among the 50 most populous metros. Next came Detroit (12.5%), Nassau County, NY (11.7%), San Jose, CA (11.1%) and Cleveland (10%).

Nationwide, the median home sale price climbed 3.2% to $425,421—the slowest growth in six months. That coincided with a slowdown in homebuyer demand; U.S. pending home sales fell 6.2% year over year—the biggest decline since September 2023—and fell 1.1% month over month on a seasonally-adjusted basis.

Prices are rising even though homebuying demand is falling because in much of the country, there aren’t enough homes for sale, which is prompting buyers to bid up prices. While inventory is increasing in many areas, a lot of Midwest markets continue to see declines in the number of homes for sale; three of the five metros where housing supply is falling fastest are in the Midwest.

In Detroit, active listings dropped 6.7% year over year in February—the largest decline among the top 50 metros. Next came Newark, NJ (-6.4%), Milwaukee (-3.7%), Cleveland (-3.6%) and Portland, OR (-3.1%).

Nationwide, active listings rose 10.7% year over year and 1.3% month over month on a seasonally-adjusted basis, hitting the highest level since the early days of the pandemic (June 2020). Please note that metro-level data is not seasonally adjusted.

“Today’s housing market is weird. Some homes are attracting bidding wars like it’s 2020 again, while others are sitting on the market for weeks with no action,” said Desiree Bourgeois, a Redfin Premier real estate agent in Detroit. “I recently saw one house get 10 offers and sell for $50,000 over the asking price, and the buyer waived their appraisal contingency. Oftentimes, it’s move-in ready homes in desirable areas that draw competition.”

Even though prices are rising in the Midwest, it remains the most affordable homebuying region in the country. Detroit has the lowest median sale price of any major metro, at $180,000. Cleveland is the second most affordable, at $217,750.

February 2025 Housing Market Highlights: United States

Prices Are Falling Fastest in Texas and Florida

Prices fell in six major U.S. metros in February, and all but one of those metros are in Texas or Florida.

In Austin, TX, the median home sale price dropped 2.7% year over year to $430,000—the largest decline among the 50 most populous metros. Next came Tampa, FL (-1.9%), San Antonio (-1.7%), Houston (-1.5%), Atlanta (-1%) and Jacksonville, FL (-0.8%).

In many ways, Texas and Florida are the opposite of the Midwest when it comes to the housing market. The supply of homes for sale is surging in many parts of Texas and Florida, giving buyers the upper hand and causing prices to fall. That’s partly because they’ve been building more homes than other states. And in Florida, unsold inventory is piling up amid skyrocketing insurance costs and HOA fees, along with intensifying natural disasters.

“There are about five times more home sellers than buyers, meaning it’s a buyer’s market,” said Connie Durnal, a Redfin Premier agent in the northern suburbs of Dallas. “That’s why I’m telling all of my sellers that it’s crucial to price their homes competitively.”

Nationwide, Homes Are Selling at the Slowest Pace in Five Years

The typical U.S. home that went under contract in February was on the market for 54 days—the longest period for any February since 2020, and up six days from a year earlier.

Homes took the longest to sell in Florida and Texas. In Miami, the typical home that went under contract last month sat on the market for 94 days—more than any other major metro. Next came West Palm Beach, FL (92), Austin (91), Fort Lauderdale, FL (91) and Pittsburgh (85).

Many homebuyers are skittish due to economic uncertainty and elevated mortgage rates, which is why Redfin agents say that if sellers want to find a buyer quickly, they should make sure their home is in good condition and fairly priced. The average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate was 6.84% in February, down slightly from 6.96% a month earlier but still more than double the record low hit during the pandemic. Rates have dipped further in March, now sitting at 6.65%.

Homes sold quickest in West Coast tech hubs. In San Jose, the typical home that went under contract in February was on the market for 10 days—fewer than any other major metro. It was followed by Seattle (12), Oakland, CA (14), San Francisco (15) and Boston (24). Historically, it has been common for homes in West Coast markets to sell the fastest.

Metro-Level Highlights: February 2025

• Prices: Median sale prices rose most from a year earlier in Milwaukee (20%), Detroit (12.5%) and Nassau County (11.7%). They fell most in Austin (-2.7%), Tampa (-1.9%) and San Antonio (-1.7%).
• Pending sales: Pending sales rose most in Los Angeles (6%), Anaheim, CA (5.2%) and Columbus, OH (0.6%). They fell most in Miami (-16.6%), Minneapolis (-16.1%) and Philadelphia (-16.1%).
• Closed home sales: Home sales rose most in Portland, OR (7.4%), Los Angeles (6.2%) and Anaheim (3.6%). They fell most in Miami (-20.7%), Austin (-18.2%) and Fort Lauderdale (-17.6%).
• New listings: New listings rose most in Oakland (24.8%), San Jose (22.9%) and Sacramento, CA (17%). They fell most in Portland, OR (-24.9%), Detroit (-23.3%) and Kansas City, MO (-20.2%).
• Active listings: Active listings rose most in Oakland (37.5%), Denver (29.8%) and Anaheim (26.9%). They fell most in Detroit (-6.7%), Newark (-6.4%) and Milwaukee (-3.7%).
• Sold above list price: In San Jose, 67.6% of homes sold above their final list price, the highest share among the metros Redfin analyzed. Next came Oakland (59.6%) and San Francisco (58.4%). The lowest shares were in West Palm Beach (5.5%), Miami (7.4%) and Fort Lauderdale (9%).

To view the full report, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/home-prices-rise-midwest-2025

About Redfin

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, rentals, lending, and title insurance services. We run the country's #1 real estate brokerage site. Our customers can save thousands in fees while working with a top agent. Our home-buying customers see homes first with on-demand tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Since launching in 2006, we've saved customers more than $1.8 billion in commissions. We serve approximately 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 4,000 people.

Redfin’s subsidiaries and affiliated brands include: Bay Equity Home Loans^®, Rent.™, Apartment Guide^®, Title Forward^® and WalkScore^®.

For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, email press@redfin.com. To view Redfin's press center, click here.

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