These NYC Suburbs Are The Nation’s Strongest Seller’s Markets

• Three of the country’s six seller’s markets are New York City suburbs: Long Island, NY; Northern NJ; and Central NJ. 
• Long Island is the strongest seller’s market in the country, with 36.2% fewer sellers than buyers, followed by Northern NJ (20.7%). Nearby Central NJ (12.9%) is the 5th-strongest seller’s market. 
• The proximity these suburbs have to Manhattan supports the demand, Redfin agents say. 
• That’s a stark contrast with the rest of the country: 39 of the 49 major metros analyzed are buyer’s markets; the rest are balanced.

The U.S. housing market overwhelmingly favors buyers, but sellers have the upper hand in  New York City suburbs in Long Island and New Jersey. 

Thirty-nine of the 49 major metros were buyer’s markets. The New York City metro area itself is balanced, with 5.3% more sellers than buyers. 

The Nation’s Six Seller’s Markets, Ranked (July 2026)
Rank	Metro Area	Buyers	Sellers	Percent by which sellers outnumber buyers
1.	Long Island, NY	11,958	7,631	-36.2%
2.	Northern NJ	7,741	6,139	-20.7%
3.	Providence, RI	5,418	4,512	-16.7%
4.	Milwaukee, WI	6,390	5,427	-15.1%
5.	Central NJ	10,876	9,477	-12.9%
6.	Montgomery County, PA	6,464	5,637	-12.8%

Redfin defines a seller’s market as one where there are more than 10% fewer sellers than buyers. A market with more than 10% more sellers than buyers is a buyer’s market, while anything in between is considered balanced.

It’s important to note that Westchester County is included in the New York City metro area and Connecticut metros didn’t meet the criteria to be included in this analysis. For this report, Redfin analyzed the 50 most populous metros, and excluded Fort Lauderdale, FL due to insufficient data. 

Redfin defines its metro areas as follows: Long Island, NY (Nassau County and Suffolk County); Northern New Jersey (Essex County, Hunterdon County, Morris County, Pike County, PA, Sussex County, and Union County); Providence, RI (Bristol County, MA, Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County, and Washington County); Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee County, Ozaukee County, Washington County, and Waukesha County); Central New Jersey (Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, and Somerset County); Montgomery County, PA (Bucks County, Chester County, Montgomery County). 

Why New York City’s Suburbs Are Bucking the National Trend

The New York City suburbs stand out in large part because the demand to live close to The Big Apple is strong. Buyers on Long Island and in parts of New Jersey face a much different market than buyers in places like Miami, Nashville and Houston, where sellers far outnumber buyers.

Sandra Glaser, a local Redfin agent, said well-priced homes in Long Island can attract offers within days. She is also seeing a lot of buyers move from Queens looking for more space while still being able to commute to New York City.

“I’m seeing multi-generational buyers looking to purchase single-family homes so they can live with their families,” she said. “A lot of these buyers are immediate families that have kids in the mix and are looking to have built-in childcare at home as well as multiple earners under the same roof. That allows them to buy a house they might not have been able to afford on their own.” 

Glaser currently has a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house listed on Long Island’s South Shore that started receiving offers before the open house. Her client wanted to sell quickly so they could use the funds from the sale to finalize the purchase of their dream home. 

Her seller decided to take advantage of Redfin’s Early Access feature, which allows homeowners to start marketing their home as “coming soon” before its official market debut. This feature can help sellers determine the right price and gauge demand early.

“I initially tested this property below the price that other homes in the neighborhood have been selling for because it needs work. It’s in a great area but it has been neglected,” Glaser added. “Several agents called me right away to let me know that their clients were interested in touring the property.”

Since officially listing the home and holding an open house, Glaser says she’s received five offers and anticipates a sixth very soon. That’s another sign that Long Island is a seller’s market. 

“At the open house, we had dozens of people show up to see the house,” she said. “I’m sure we will be able to sell it quickly.” 

Long Island offers homeowners beautiful beaches, a community feel, good restaurants, outdoor recreation and concerts, Glaser added. 

“People want to be in a neighborhood where their children can ride bikes, play outside, and not have to worry about much,” she said. “Everybody here looks out for their neighbors. There is a real sense of community.”

One home-buying couple Glaser recently represented, toured more than 50 homes and lost several bidding wars before finally getting an offer accepted on a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Wantagh.

The couple was expecting their first child and got their offer accepted the same day their child was born. 

“They took it as a sign that the house was meant to be,” Glaser said. 

In Northern and Central New Jersey, the housing market is more nuanced, Redfin agents said. 

“If you’re looking for a super-desirable single-family home in the suburbs, it’s a seller’s market,” Natasha Bartolomeo, a local Redfin agent, said. “But if you’re looking for a condo in Jersey City or surrounding towns close to Newark, there is more inventory.”

Northern and Central New Jersey is seeing an influx of people moving from other metro areas like Los Angeles and nearby New York City, Bartolomeo said. The biggest draw is that it is relatively affordable compared to The Big Apple, but still close by.  

Bartolomeo recently listed a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom townhouse in Newark that received two offers and is selling for several thousand dollars over its asking price. 

“It offers a good balance between accessibility to the city and having more space,” she said. “You don’t have to sacrifice anything here. You can be in a place that has so much available to you.” 

What This Means for Long Island and New Jersey Buyers and Sellers

Buyers in Long Island and New Jersey should prepare for more competition than house hunters in most of the country. Getting preapproved, studying comparable sales and being ready to move quickly can make an offer more competitive, Redfin agents said. 

Sellers need to get the basics right. Even in a seller’s market, buyers are sensitive to price and increasingly favor homes that need little work. 

“People want move-in conditions, especially if sellers are asking for at or around that $1 million price point,” Glaser added. “For buyers, it’s important to know what you can afford before you start going out to look at homes.”

In Northern and Central New Jersey, Bartolomeo says buyers need to keep looking and be ready to make an offer when they find the right one. For sellers, she says putting your house on the market at the right price is key. 

“It’s really important to hit the ground running and price for the market of today,” Bartolomeo added. “Sellers should be focused on presentation because the small details make a difference in this market. Buyers are looking for move-in ready homes. If buyers see good value in the property, the home will sell.” 

Methodology

Redfin estimated the number of buyers using proprietary data on the typical amount of time between a buyer’s first home tour and closing, along with MLS data on active listings and pending sales. The estimated number of sellers is the number of active MLS listings. The estimates are seasonally adjusted and subject to revision. See a more detailed methodology here and view an interactive dashboard here. 

Redfin analyzed the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas and excluded Fort Lauderdale, FL due to insufficient data, leaving 49 metros in the analysis.

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