Upstate New York Homes Sell Fast as Five Cities Break Into U.S. Fastest Markets

Five upstate New York metro areas ranked among the fastest-moving housing markets in the United States in July, according to data from Redfin. Rochester and Albany led the charge, landing in the nation’s top 10 with homes selling in a median of eight and nine days, respectively. The others in the group were Syracuse, Buffalo and Binghamton, all of which posted brisk turnover in the month.

Inventory remained tight in these markets, a legacy of the pandemic-era supply crunch that reshaped demand patterns beyond coastal metros. Fewer listings have intensified competition, producing bidding wars, all-cash offers and waived inspections as buyers act quickly to close.

Rochester’s eight-day median and Albany’s nine-day median place them among the fastest on the national scene. Syracuse, home to Syracuse University, typically saw homes move in about 16 days, while Buffalo and Binghamton also ranked in the top 50 nationwide.

Prices rose with demand. In Onondaga County, where Syracuse serves as the hub, the average home now costs more than $312,000 — an increase of about 8.6% from a year earlier, according to Redfin’s July data. The trend reflects a broader shift in upstate markets toward affordability and space relative to larger metros.

With five upstate metros on a national-fast list, buyers and sellers alike are watching inventory levels closely as the market continues to run hot through midsummer. The data illustrate a regional pattern distinct from the coastal surge, underscoring how the pandemic-era changes reshaped the housing map across New York’s interior.

For buyers, the takeaway is clear: act quickly to secure a property, or risk losing out to multiple competing offers as demand remains elevated in these upstate markets.