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%.

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. 

Nationwide, the median price for a single-family home increased 1.7% year over year to $426,800. Prices increased by the same annual rate during the second quarter.

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Given the rate of sales, the nation had a 4.6-month housing supply, up from 4.2 months a year prior.

Tapping into Realtor intel, Zillow analyzed its listing database for keywords that are increasing most in popularity heading into the new year.

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The pace of home sales, meanwhile, remained at “multi-decade lows” even as affordability reached its most favorable level since 2022.

Across reports from Realtor.com, Zillow and Redfin, the data converges on one clear truth: the housing market’s momentum is tilting toward those shopping for homes rather than those selling them.

The pace of home-price appreciation declined to its weakest pace in 10 years, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. 

Searches for “fixer-upper” on Realtor.com in July 2025 have more than tripled in volume compared to four years ago.

The pace of new-home sales hit an annual rate of 800,000, its highest level since January 2022. 

Fannie Mae also reduced its forecasts for home sales in 2025 and 2026. 

The move was widely anticipated and is expected to be followed by additional cuts this year. 

The jump in mortgage activity was driven in large part by refinancings, which surged 58% in the week ended Sept. 12. 

At the same time, completions of new single-family homes were on the rise last month, according to federal statistics.