(NewsNation) — Spring’s bounty will include better real estate opportunities for Americans this year, according to research from Zillow.

The tech real-estate marketplace said more listings, lower mortgage rates and steady home values could make the process of buying or selling a home easier than expected.

“While affordability remains incredibly challenging, the housing market is improving for buyers nationally,” Zillow said.

Some metros are budding with opportunity more than others, with buyers in control in the Southeast and sellers empowered in the Northeast and some parts of California.

Top 5 metros for buyers

Miami

Zillow points to Miami’s longer-than-average selling times as one reason buyers have the upper hand in the southern Florida city.

The median time on the market in Miami is 60 days. The longer a listing is up, the more likely a seller will cut its price, Zillow said. In February, nearly a quarter — 24.2% — of listings lowered their asking price.

New Orleans

Like Miami, the Big Easy benefits buyers with its lengthy listing timelines, which average two months. Another major attractor is inventory.

Available homes in New Orleans are up 42% from pre-pandemic levels and 11.4% from 2024, according to Zillow.

Jacksonville, Florida

Availability and affordability combine in Jacksonville, with 26% more homes on the market than last year. Out of the pool of properties, nearly 30% took price cuts, according to Zillow.

Tampa, Florida

To the southeast, Florida’s final city on the list comes at a reduced asking price. The city’s home values are down 3.6% year-over-year, and nearly a third — 31.9% — of listed homes took price cuts.

Memphis, Tennessee

In Memphis, it’s cheaper to own than to rent. Monthly mortgage payments average $1,228, while the average rent hovers at $1,418.

Top 5 metros for sellers

Buffalo, New York

Deemed Zillow’s hottest market of 2025, the northwestern New York city sees listings fly off the shelves, in 12 days or fewer on average.

Many properties end up inciting a bidding war, with a majority — 56% — selling for more than the original listing price.

San Jose, California

San Jose is the nation’s priciest property hot spot, and it’s only gaining speed. According to Zillow, home values are up 7.6% compared to 2024.

Roughly 57% of listings sold above their original price, and many lasted just over a week, or nine days, on the market.

San Francisco

Another Bay Area city, San Francisco, has seen increased listings — up 32.5% year-over-year — and increased prices, as 44.4% sold for more than their asking price.

Hartford, Connecticut

With 71% fewer homes on the market than pre-pandemic numbers, competition for a pricy pad in Hartford is high. The Connecticut city’s home values have skyrocketed more than 57% since the pandemic’s start, and listings typically last just a week.

Boston

Sellers can expect to get more than they asked for — 40% of homes sold above their listed price — and get it quickly. The median days on the market for Boston listings was just eight days.