1149 ET - Home shoppers looking for an advantage will find it in the Midwest and South this year, Zillow says. Indianapolis, Atlanta and Charlotte top the list of metros where buyers will find room to negotiate for relatively budget-friendly homes that have a combination of cooling prices now with expected appreciation ahead. Buyers will see more homes within budget, while forecasted appreciation suggests strong long-term financial potential. With less competition for each home, buyers have more time to make decisions and a lower risk of being pulled into stressful bidding wars. Midwest housing markets generally avoided the steepest pandemic-era price run-ups, Zillow says, helping maintain their relative affordability. In the Sun Belt, new construction booms have helped inventory recover and eased competition for each home. (chris.wack@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 26, 2026 11:49 ET (16:49 GMT)

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