Homebuyers across the U.S. are increasingly searching outside their local markets as housing costs and employment opportunities influence where they look for properties.
Cross-market searches on Realtor.com exceeded 60% across the 100 largest U.S. metros in spring 2026, up from about 48% in 2019, according to the Realtor.com economic research team. More than half of home shopping traffic in every U.S. region went to listings outside buyers’ local markets.
The West recorded the highest outbound home shopping traffic in the second quarter at more than 65%. The South followed at 59.8%, while the Northeast reached 58.3% and the Midwest recorded 56.1%.
San Jose Leads Outbound Searches
San Jose, California, had the highest share of out-of-market search traffic among the 100 largest metros. More than 94% of San Jose-based shoppers looked elsewhere during the second quarter.
The metro was also the nation’s most expensive major housing market, with a median asking price above $1.39 million in spring 2026. Its median listing price was 225.5% above the national average.
San Francisco was the leading destination for San Jose shoppers. Although San Francisco’s median prices were 133% above the national average, they were 28% below San Jose’s.
San Jose generated roughly 40% of San Francisco’s out-of-market views in the second quarter. Los Angeles accounted for 7%, followed by Seattle at 4.3%.
Buyers Target Lower-Cost Markets
Seattle and Washington, D.C., also recorded high levels of outbound searches. Nearly 86% of Washington shoppers searched outside their local market, while nearly 84% of Seattle shoppers did the same.
Baltimore was the top destination for Washington buyers. Its median listing price was about 35% below Washington’s $588,332 median.
Seattle shoppers most often targeted Portland, Oregon, where the typical second-quarter home price was 24% below Seattle’s $779,827 median.
In Los Angeles, just over 70% of prospective buyers searched outside the metro. Riverside, California, attracted significant interest. Homes viewed by Los Angeles shoppers locally averaged $641 per square foot, compared with $341 per square foot in Riverside.
Midtier Metros See Outbound Interest
The trend also extended to markets that had previously offered greater affordability. More than 70% of shoppers in Salt Lake City, Denver, and Durham, North Carolina, searched outside their metros during the second quarter.
Their leading destinations offered prices 5% to 15% lower. Denver shoppers favored Colorado Springs, Colorado, while Salt Lake City shoppers searched in Ogden, Utah. Durham shoppers looked to Raleigh, North Carolina.
Employment Also Influences Searches
Housing prices were not the only factor influencing cross-market searches. Birmingham, Alabama, recorded roughly 72% out-of-market traffic, with Nashville, Tennessee, as its leading destination despite Nashville’s median asking price being 80% higher.
Realtor.com senior economist Jiayi Xu attributed the interest to Nashville’s stronger job market, 3.2% unemployment rate, and lack of a state income tax.
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