Midwestern and southern metros may dominate buyer interest in 2026, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

Total dollar volume declined 5.6% year over year in November. The number of units sold saw an even sharper dip of 9.2% to 3,664.

Atlanta placed No. 4, just behind Miami and Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas.

Young residents emerged as drivers of population change in growing counties.

Geographically, trends varied widely, with formerly hot areas like Florida and the Southeast posting the deepest declines and formerly cool areas, like the Midwest, showing healthy gains.

Notably, saved searches for Atlanta jumped 13% during the third quarter, with most of that interest coming from apartment seekers in New York.

Homes lingered on the market in Atlanta. Meanwhile, housing inventory and existing-home sales ticked up, according to the latest Housing Scorecard.

Spa-style amenities, customizable lighting options, integrated technology, storage solutions — and ample space for these features — all surfaced as top trends.

By region, sales rose in the Midwest, Northeast and South but fell in the West. 

Bold, geometric designs like chevrons, sunbursts, zigzags and stepped shapes are making a huge comeback as of late — and Houzz said that will continue into 2026.

The typical asking rent for an average rental unit reached $1,860.

Renters paid an average of $1,430 for one-bedroom apartments during the third quarter, an increase of 4.3% year over year.

The chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS® also predicts home prices will climb 4% compared to 2025. 

At the same time, the average age of the first-time buyer hit an all-time high of 40, according to the 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. 

At the top of the list? WaterSense fixtures — the plumbing solution, which claims to reduce water use by more than 20%, increased in popularity by 289.6%.

Atlanta has seen rapid growth in the sector and ranked No. 8 on the list. The pipeline hit 4,208 units in 2024 after increasing 44% from the year before.