Starter homes are back in US, but there's still a catch for first-time buyers

For millions of first-time homebuyers, getting onto the property ladder has felt increasingly out of reach in recent years. High prices, rising mortgage rates and a severe shortage of affordable homes have made even modest properties difficult to buy.There is now some relief. A new report by Realtor.com shows that the supply of starter homes has begun improving, giving budget-conscious buyers more choices than they had during the peak of the housing market frenzy.However, affordability remains a major challenge, and the recovery is uneven across different regions.More affordable homes are returning to marketAccording to Realtor.com's latest analysis, there are now around 220,000 more starter homes available for sale than four years ago, while prices in this segment have fallen 4.2% from recent highs.The report defines a starter home as a property priced below $350,000 nationally or below 80% of a local market's median listing price, making it an entry point for first-time buyers without existing housing equity.Despite the improvement, the market has not fully recovered.There are still nearly 300,000 fewer affordable homes on the market compared with 2019.

Meanwhile, the typical starter home now carries a price premium of almost $90,000 over pre-pandemic levels.Higher borrowing costs have also raised the financial bar for buyers. Realtor.com estimates that purchasing a typical starter home now requires an annual household income of around $78,000, compared with $43,000 seven years ago.Why housing market remains unevenThe report highlights sharp regional differences in the recovery.The Southern United States has emerged as the strongest market for entry-level buyers, largely because homebuilders significantly increased construction during the pandemic housing boom.Since 2022, the starter-home price threshold in the South has declined by 3.5%, from $323,000 to $311,000.

Affordable listings have also increased, with homes priced below $350,000 now accounting for 43.6% of all listings, translating into nearly 170,000 additional affordable homes compared with the market's tightest period.Realtor.com Senior Economist Hannah Jones said increased construction and moderating demand have created a more favourable environment for buyers."Sun Belt builders ramped up supply during the boom years, and that inventory has reached the market just as demand has moderated.

The result is a region where buyers have more options and more negotiating leverage than anywhere else in the country."The picture is more mixed in the Western US.The starter-home price threshold has fallen 7.3% since 2022 to around $480,000, although it remains well above pre-pandemic levels. Affordable inventory has also improved, particularly in cities such as Denver and Phoenix.According to Denver-based real estate agent Michelle Schwinghammer, increased supply has given buyers greater bargaining power."The biggest factor boosting affordability in that segment right now is supply, which has ballooned to nearly five months of inventory."She added that more than half of sellers in Denver are now offering concessions, with many providing credits that buyers can use to reduce mortgage costs through interest-rate buydowns.Midwest and Northeast continue to face supply shortagesThe outlook is less encouraging in the Midwest and Northeast, where affordable homes remain scarce.Although the Midwest continues to have the country's lowest starter-home threshold at around $263,920, prices have risen 10% since 2022 and more than 37% since 2019.

The share of affordable listings has also declined significantly over the same period.The Northeast remains the least affordable region for first-time buyers.The report found that the starter-home price threshold has climbed to approximately $443,600, nearly 50% higher than in 2019. Limited land availability, restrictive zoning rules and strong demand in major metropolitan areas continue to constrain supply.Jones said these structural factors have made entry-level homeownership increasingly difficult, particularly for buyers without high incomes or family wealth.What it means for buyersThe report suggests conditions are gradually becoming more favourable for first-time buyers, especially in markets where new housing supply has improved.

Buyers in several regions now have more options, greater negotiating leverage and are increasingly benefiting from seller incentives.However, affordability remains well below pre-pandemic levels. Higher home prices, elevated mortgage rates and a limited supply of low-cost homes continue to make homeownership difficult for many households despite signs of improvement.For prospective buyers, the report indicates that while the market may finally be moving in a better direction, purchasing a starter home still requires significantly more income and careful financial planning than it did just a few years ago.Ready to Make a Smarter Property Decision?

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