U.S. Market Update: New Listings on the Rise Heading into Summer

In May, outside temperatures began to rise, along with activity in the housing market ahead of summer. Many people made a late springtime move, exemplified by an 8.6% increase of home sales from April to May across the U.S.

This is according to the latest REMAX National Housing Report, a comprehensive monthly analysis of the latest homebuying and selling trends. The May 2025 report was comprised of aggregated data from 52 metro areas.

This latest report noted increasing levels of housing inventory nationwide – a continuation of a trend over recent months. The total number of homes for sale in May was 8.3% higher than April, and 34.8% higher than one year ago in May 2024. For a whopping 17 months in a row now, inventory has grown annually.

A driver of the increased inventory is the many new listings hitting the market. In May, there was a 4.4% increase of new listings over the month prior and a 7.9% increase in new listings year over year. In another impressive streak, May marks the 15^th month in a row where the number of new listings has grown annually.

“Rising sales, growing inventory, declines in days on market and steady prices are all encouraging signs for the housing industry,” says Erik Carlson, CEO of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. “It’s great to see the spring market end on a solid note, and we’re optimistic that this momentum could carry into an active summer season.”

According to the May REMAX report, homes across the U.S. spent an average of 39 days on the market before selling. This was two days lower than April, but five days higher than May 2024. An annual increase of days on market and decrease in home sales percentage (down 3.5% in May from the same time last year) point to slower market activity in late-spring 2025 compared to late-spring 2024.

The May data revealed that, on average, buyers paid 99% of the asking price – equal to April but slightly below the 100% seen in May 2024. The median sales price across all 52 metro area was $442,000, up 1% from April and up a nominal 0.6% from May 2024. However, prices tend to vary greatly by market. A few examples:

Markets with the biggest year-over-year increase in median sales price:

• Trenton, New Jersey – a 9.9% increase, with a median sales price of $487,500
• Hartford, Connecticut – an 8.5% increase, with a median sales price of $385,000
• Honolulu, Hawaii – an 8.3%, with a median sales price of $750,000

Markets with the biggest year-over-year decrease in median sales price:

• Bozeman, Montana – a 12.0% decrease, with a median sales price of $650,000
• Tampa, Florida – a 3.7% decrease, with a median sales price of $370,000
• Seattle, Washington – a 3.2% decrease, with a median sales price of $750,000

Since local market conditions differ from place to place, homebuyers and sellers benefit significantly from working with a real estate professional that has ample experience and local expertise. A trusted agent can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth transaction.

Ready to make a move? Get in touch with a REMAX agent today. Each year, REMAX agents help hundreds of thousands of people buy or sell a home – and they have the experience to get the job done in today’s market.

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