Independent market data for homebuyers, investors, and real estate professionals. No registration, no ads, no data walls. Updated monthly.
US homeowners collectively hold approximately $17 trillion in home equity as of Q4 2025. The average mortgaged homeowner sits on $295,000 in equity — down slightly from the $311,000 peak in Q3 2024 but historically very high.
Equity growth is highly regional. Northeast states are seeing the largest gains while Western markets — particularly Hawaii, Washington, and Arizona — are experiencing year-over-year declines.
The FRC Buyer Demand Score (0-100) measures real buyer activity relative to supply. It factors in days on market, price cut frequency, and listing-to-sale ratios across 4,847 active listings.
| Market | Score | Status | Median Price | Days on Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverly Hills, CA (90210) | 95 | 🔥 HOT | $4.2M | 6 |
| West Village, NYC (10014) | 91 | 🔥 HOT | $2.4M | 9 |
| Boston, MA (02116) | 88 | 🔥 HOT | $1.35M | 9 |
| San Jose, CA (95101) | 88 | 🔥 HOT | $1.1M | 9 |
| Miami Beach, FL (33109) | 86 | 🔥 HOT | $1.1M | 12 |
| Seattle, WA (98109) | 81 | 🟡 WARM | $850K | 12 |
| Nashville, TN (37205) | 82 | 🟡 WARM | $1.1M | 13 |
| Dallas Highland Park (75205) | 86 | 🔥 HOT | $1.8M | 11 |
| Austin, TX (78703) | 65 | 🔵 COOLING | $1.1M | 33 |
| Denver, CO (80209) | 66 | 🔵 COOLING | $720K | 31 |
| Phoenix, AZ (85001) | 68 | 🟡 WARM | $420K | 27 |
| Detroit, MI (48201) | 52 | 🔵 COOLING | $180K | 48 |
The median American family now needs 18.3 years of savings to afford a 20% down payment on a median-priced home — up from 3.2 years in 1975. This represents a 6x increase in the time required to achieve homeownership.
The primary drivers: home price appreciation outpacing wage growth, mortgage rates at 6.9%, and a persistent national housing supply shortage estimated at 4-7 million units.
What this means for buyers: The window between "can afford" and "priced out" is narrowing every year. Credit score optimization — the difference between 620 and 740 — now saves the average buyer $47,000 over 30 years on a $400K mortgage.
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🏦 Ask Zai — Free AI Banker 📊 Mortgage Calculator 📈 Credit Score Simulator 🔍 Denial Letter DecoderData sources: FRC independent listing analysis, Cotality (formerly CoreLogic), ATTOM, Federal Reserve. Educational purposes only. Not financial advice.