You’ve probably felt it lately: buying your first home hasn’t just been challenging. At times, it may have felt completely out of reach.

Not because you weren’t ready.

Not for lack of effort.

But every time you ran the numbers, they just didn’t make sense.

That’s why so many first-time buyers decided to pause and step back.

But after years of watching from the sidelines, this spring could finally open the door again for buyers like you especially in certain markets.

Metros Where Buyers May Have an Easier Time Breaking into the Market

Zillow just released its top 50 metros for first-time buyers this spring, including a snapshot of the top 10 (see chart below):

According to Zillow, in these top markets, median-income households can afford 68% of homes for sale. That’s a big shift.

Not too long ago, it felt like barely anything was within reach.

Now, you might actually have some options again.

That doesn’t mean every home fits your budget, but it does mean the door is starting to crack open again, and in some cities, first-time buyers may finally have a real shot at buying.

Why This Is Starting To Open Up

These cities are rising to the top not because of one big shift, but because several smaller factors are finally lining up. As Zillow Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy explains:

““First-time buyers are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Affordability is still a challenge, but rising incomes, stabilizing prices and improving inventory are creating real opportunities in parts of the country. In the strongest markets for first-time buyers, they’ll find more choices, less competition and a clearer path to homeownership than they’ve had in years.”
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— Orphe Divounguy, Senior Economist at Zillow

Three key factors are working in your favor:

More homes are hitting the market. Realtor.com reports inventory is up 8.1% year over year, giving you more choices and less pressure.
Price growth is slowing, so homes aren’t drifting out of reach as fast—and some may be coming back into your budget.
Incomes are rising, helping offset some of today’s affordability challenges.

And even with higher mortgage rates, this combination can still help. As First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explains:

““Income growth has outpaced house price growth for 19 straight months, boosting house-buying power even as mortgage rates remain elevated.”
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— rk Fleming, Chief Economist at First American

How To Find the Opportunities in Your Local Market

But if your city didn’t make the top 10 or even the top 50, here’s what you still need to know.

There are still opportunities in every market you just have to know where to look.

Even in the same city, buyers can have very different experiences—and it often comes down to the right agent. The right partner can spot opportunities anywhere, like: