For the second year in a row, Buffalo, New York, has secured the top spot on Zillow's list of the hottest housing markets for 2025, earning the distinction of being the first market to secure the number one ranking in back-to-back years.

Buffalo, New York is expected to be the hottest major housing market in the U.S., for the second year in a row, according to Zillow.

Sellers looking to off-load properties in the Midwest, Northeast, and South in the next 12 months may be in for a good year, according to Zillow. The real estate website recently released its forecast predicting the hottest housing markets for 2025—and most of the top 10 cities are in these regions.

Metros with more jobs for every new home permitted ranked highly on the list, while average home prices were a smaller factor.

Charlotte held the highest rank among Southern markets on Zillow's list. Richmond, Virginia, also appeared among the top 10, ranking at No. 9. Raleigh, the only other North or South Carolina metro in the analysis, ranked at No. 21 — down four spots from last year.

Hartford, Conn., was also forecasted to be among the top markets by the real estate listing website, but Boston ranked 16th among the 50 metro areas compared.

Affordability remains a barrier after the pandemic-era boom as home prices continue to rise and mortgage rates stay high.

Zillow says relative affordability and job growth will be the key drivers among the most competitive markets for buyers in 2025.

Buffalo, a city in far western New York and the second largest in the state, has emerged as the country’s hottest housing market for 2025, according to Zillow, as high demand and limited supply send prices soaring.