1402 ET - Cross-market home shopping continued to dominate the U.S. housing landscape in the final quarter of 2025, Realtor.com says. Out-of-market shoppers accounted for 61.9% of online views for homes in the 100 largest metros, which is a significant shift from the 48.6% seen in the pre-pandemic era of 2019. While this search activity is down modestly from last year's 64.7% peak, the long-term trend highlights a more mobile and interconnected pool of home shoppers. Realtor.com says 87 of the largest 100 metros are driven primarily by out-of-market interest, leaving just 13 markets where local shoppers remain the majority of the audience. The Sun Belt remains the undisputed leader in non-local demand. In 4Q, affordable, lifestyle-driven metros such as Cape Coral, Fla., Lakeland, Fla., and Durham, N.C., led the way. (chris.wack@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 26, 2026 14:03 ET (19:03 GMT)

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