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Mortgage rates have eased slightly in recent weeks after spending much of 2024 trending higher. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.95% as of July 3, according to Freddie Mac. That’s well down from a high of 7.79% in October 2023 and below the 52-week average. Rates for a 15-year fixed mortgage are also below the 52-week average.
This trend bodes well for house hunters, who haven’t had much to cheer about lately. The median existing-home price for all types of U.S. housing hit $419,300 in May, according to the National Association of Realtors. That was the highest median price ever recorded and represented an increase of 5.8% from the previous year. All four U.S. regions registered price gains.
A separate report released earlier this week by ATTOM Data Solutions determined that home affordability in the United States is at its lowest point since 2007, based on mortgage, tax and insurance costs. Those costs currently suck up 35.1% of the average homeowner’s take-home pay — well above the common lending guideline of 28%.
“The latest affordability data presents a clear challenge for home buyers,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber said in a news release. “While home prices are increasing and mortgage rates remain relatively high, these factors are making homes less affordable. It’s common for these trends to intensify during the spring buying season when buyer demand increases. However, the trends this year are particularly challenging for house hunters, more so than at any point since the housing market boom began in 2012.”
But there could be good news on the horizon, thanks to lower mortgage rates and a rise in the number of homes on the market.
“Eventually, more inventory will help boost home sales and tame home price gains in the upcoming months,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. “Increased housing supply spells good news for consumers who want to see more properties before making purchasing decisions.”
It’s especially good news for consumers who live in or near big cities that haven’t experienced a massive surge in home values. Using recent data from Realtor.com, GOBankingRates found 20 cities with median home prices well below the national median.
Here are are the housing markets with affordable home prices.
Baltimore, Maryland
Median listing home price: $224,900
Price per square foot: $165
Buffalo, New York
Median listing home price: $215,000
Price per square foot: $156
Cleveland, Ohio
Median listing home price: $135,000
Price per square foot: $102
Des Moines, Iowa
Median listing home price: $240,000
Price per square foot: $206
Detroit, Michigan
Median listing home price: $93,300
Price per square foot: $82
Fort Worth, Texas
Median listing home price: $360,000
Price per square foot: $187
Indianapolis, Indiana
Median listing home price: $275,000
Price per square foot: $149
Jacksonville, Florida
Median listing home price: $319,900
Price per square foot: $194
Kansas City, Missouri
Median listing home price: $275,000
Price per square foot: $166
Louisville, Kentucky
Median listing home price: $285,000
Price per square foot: $163
Memphis, Tennessee
Median listing home price: $230,000
Price per square foot: $140
Montgomery, Alabama
Median listing home price: $215,000
Price per square foot: $110
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Median listing home price: $199,900
Price per square foot: $155
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Median listing home price: $300,000
Price per square foot: $168
Omaha, Nebraska
Median listing home price: $344,500
Price per square foot: $173
Rochester, New York
Median listing home price: $159,900
Price per square foot: $117
St. Louis, Missouri
Median listing home price: $209,900
Price per square foot: $151
St. Paul, Minnesota
Median listing home price: $300,000
Price per square foot: $212
Toledo, Ohio
Median listing home price: $125,000
Price per square foot: $99
Wichita, Kansas
Median listing home price: $300,000
Price per square foot: $139
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