This interactive housing market map shows where sellers—and buyers—have the most power right now

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For today’s piece, ResiClub visualized Zillow’s Market Heat Index.

A higher score indicates a hotter metro-level housing market where sellers have more power. A lower score indicates a colder metro-level housing market where buyers have more power.

According to Zillow:

• Score of 70 or above = strong sellers market

• Score from 55 to 69 = sellers market

• Score from 44 to 55 = neutral market

• Score from 28 to 44 = buyers market

• Score of 27 or below = strong buyers market

Nationally, Zillow rates the U.S. housing market at 54 in its February 2025 reading, published in March 2025.

Click here to view an interactive of the map below

Among the 250 largest metro area housing markets, these 10 are the HOTTEST markets, where sellers have the most power:

1. Rochester, NY —> 169 rating

2. Buffalo, NY —> 113

3. San Jose, CA —> 112

4. San Francisco, CA —> 105

5. Syracuse, NY —> 99

6. Hartford, CT —> 95

7. Ann Arbor, MI —> 90

8. Boston, MA —> 89

9. Bridgeport, CT —> 89

10. Seattle, WA —> 86

Among the 250 largest metro area housing markets, these 10 are the COLDEST markets, where buyers have the most power:

1. Jackson, TN —> 9 rating

2. Gulfport, MS —> 18

3. Macon, GA —> 23

4. Daphne, AL —> 25

5. Brownsville, TX —> 26

6. Beaumont, TX —> 26

7. Longview, TX —> 26

8. Naples, FL —> 28

9. Punta Gorda, FL —> 30

10. Panama City, FL —> 30

Does ResiClub agree with Zillow’s assessment?

Directionally, I believe Zillow has correctly identified many regional housing markets where buyers have gained the most power—particularly around the Gulf—as well as markets where sellers have maintained (relatively speaking) somewhat of a grip, including large portions of the Northeast and Midwest.

Based on my personal housing analysis, I consider Southwest Florida the weakest/softest chunk of the U.S. housing market, followed by Texas markets around Austin and San Antonio.

What did this Zillow analysis look like back in spring 2022 at the climax of the Pandemic Housing Boom?

Below is Zillow’s February 2022 reading—published in March 2022.

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