Top 10 Real Estate News: August’s Interesting Real Estate News
Posted: August 28, 2026A look at America’s real estate news in August. Top 10 Real Estate News is featured at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
America’s Top 10 Real Estate News
Home Prices Rising In Most of the US
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, home prices increased in 80% of the US metro markets in the second quarter of 2026, up from 71% in the previous quarter. Stronger homeowner equity and ongoing buyer affordability issues are demonstrated by the data. The median price of a single-family home increased to $434,900, which is 1.5% more than it was at this time last year.
Top 10 Tax-Friendly States
Many people approaching retirement age move and buy a home in Florida or Texas because these states don’t have an income tax. But the savings aren’t always what they seem to be. For example, New Hampshire has very high property taxes, and Tennessee has a high sales tax. All in all, the 10 most tax-friendly states, compiled by Boldin.com, are Wyoming, followed by South Dakota, Florida, Alaska, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas, New Hampshire, Mississippi, and Illinois.
US Real Estate Under $250K Is Slow – Over $750K Is Surging
In July, the US housing market was still in a slump, except for homes listed at $750,000 and more, which had sales increases at double-digit rates compared to last year. Overall, existing-home sales decreased 1.7% from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million. Much of the decline is in homes priced at $250,000 and below.
US Housing Shortage Getting Better
According to Zillow, the US housing shortage grew by only 43,000 homes in 2024 to a total of 4.7 million homes. It was the smallest increase in years. Housing affordability also stopped getting worse in 2024, as about 33% of for-sale listings on Zillow were affordable for a median-income household, about the same as in 2023. In 2021, about 54% of for-sale listings on Zillow were considered affordable.
Florida Loses #1 Expensive Zip Code Status
The most costly ZIP code in America to buy a home has moved to a different coast. Miami’s Fisher Island has lost its position as the nation’s most expensive ZIP code for the first time in two years. Atherton, California’s 94027, a Silicon Valley bedroom neighborhood now rich from the artificial intelligence boom, has surpassed the affluent 33109 enclave. Home prices in Atherton went up almost $10 million in the first half of 2026.
US New Home Sales Beat Estimates
The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that June’s new home sales of 628,000 came in above the estimate of 610,000, a 5.6% decrease from the June 2025 rate of 665,000 but a 1.6% increase from May’s rate of 618,000.
America Has Millions of Vacant Homes
America has millions of unoccupied homes, but most of these homes are not available to homebuyers. According to a recent Census Bureau report, there were an estimated 15.6 million unoccupied housing units in the US during the second quarter of 2026. However, only about one million were listed as unoccupied and exclusively for sale. Almost six million were off the market for many reasons. And millions more were summer homes, rentals, or apartments that had been sold or rented but were awaiting the next tenant.
Florida’s Top 10 Affordable Beach Towns
Florida has over 8,400 miles of coastline and hundreds of beaches ranging from busy and urban, such as Miami Beach, to remote and quiet, such as Cayo Costa State. For anyone looking to buy a Florida beach home, there are also many choices, including Key West’s historic conch houses, Flagler Beach’s charming single-family homes, and affordable oceanfront condos in Pompano Beach.
Where U-Haul Self-Movers Are Going
U‑Haul’s latest migration trends report, covering moves from July 2025 to June 2026, shows Baby Boomers heading to the Southeast, Gen X and Millennials favoring Florida and Texas, and Gen Z gravitating toward major cities.
According to the U-Haul data, Gen Z is drawn to densely populated areas with access to colleges, entry-level employment, and residences. Baby Boomers are moving to the Southeast, which is a popular destination for winter homes and retirees. Both Gen X and Millennials are heading to Florida and Texas, but Millennials’ next choices are California, Ohio and Idaho, while Gen X’s next picks are the Southeast and Mountain West. U-Haul claims that the renter’s age or stage of life has a “vital role in where their moving truck, trailer, or U-Box moving container is going.” Florida is the only state gaining net movers from all generations.
The “Scarface” Mansion & President Nixon Vacation Property
A Florida mansion on Key Biscayne waterfront property that once served as Richard Nixon’s Winter White House and was seen in the movie Scarface has come on the market for a potential record-setting $237 million. The 13,000-square-foot home, built in 1981 for a Medellín Cartel drug-smuggling pilot, was depicted in Scarface as the over-the-top home of fictional drug king Frank Lopez. And a small home on the property that was later demolished was frequently used by President Nixon in the 1970s as a vacation escape from his Watergate headaches.
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