Starter-Home Squeeze: Where First-Time Buyers Still Find a Foothold

Starter homes are becoming harder to find nationwide, but where buyers look matters as much as what they can afford, according to a new report from Realtor.com.® Starter-priced listings have become scarcer nationally since 2019, but the Midwest stands out for both inventory and neighborhood choice. The share of active listings priced in the starter-home tier fell from 38.1% in August 2019 to 36.2% in August 2026, even as the national starter-home price threshold rose 30.8%, from roughly $260,000