Coming in 2020: Home Prices Weaken, but Where?

After climbing extensively in recent years, appreciation is starting to steady, and expected to stabilize through the upcoming year, according to the annual forecast from realtor.com®, newly released.

In the forecast, the national price rises 0.8 percent in 2020—essentially flat, with declines in more than 25 percent of the 100 largest markets. (More: 2020 Housing Market: What the Experts Think)

The biggest decreases expected, according to realtor.com researchers:

1. Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. (-4 percent)
2. Scranton-Wilkes Barre-Hazleton, Pa. (-3.2 percent)
3. Greensboro-High Point, N.C. (-2.9 percent)
4. New Haven-Milford, Conn. (-2.4 percent)
5. Tulsa, Okla. (-2.3 percent)

In the forecast, appreciation falls in the following markets, as well:

Bakersfield, Calif. (-1.4 percent)
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla. (-1.2 percent)
Birmingham-Hoover, Ala. (-1.1 percent)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich. (-1 percent)
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. (-1.1 percent)
Fresno, Calif. (-0.9 percent)
Urban Honolulu, Hawaii (-0.9 percent)
Oklahoma City, Okla. (-0.8 percent)
New Orleans-Metairie, La. (-0.7 percent)
Louis, Mo.-Ill. (-0.6 percent)
Worcester, Mass.-Conn. (-0.6 percent)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (-0.5 percent)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif. (-0.4 percent)
Stockton-Lodi, Calif. (-0.4 percent)
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md. (-0.3 percent)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. (-0.3 percent)
Austin-Round Rock, Texas (-0.2 percent)
Columbia, S.C. (-0.2 percent)
Dayton, Ohio (-0.2 percent)
Jackson, Miss. (-0.1 percent)
Toledo, Ohio (-0.1 percent)

On the flip side, these areas deviate from the national trend:

1. Boise City, Idaho (+8.1 percent)
2. Colorado Springs, Colo. (+6.3 percent)
3. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. (+4.8 percent)
4. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. (+4.5 percent)
5. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas (+4 percent)

In addition to the home price trajectory, realtor.com researchers forecasted mortgage rates, sales, and more: