Buyers Looking to , New Homes and Cheaper , Housing Markets.br Despite record mortgage rates, br Americans continue to br purchase new homes.br According to the 'Wall Street Journal' and br Realtor.com, the Midwest offers prospective br homeowners the most affordable possibilities.br The Emerging Housing Markets Index report, released on October 25, says high mortgage rates have kept many homeowners from selling, suppressing the sales market. .br However, buyers have instead been looking br to find newly constructed homes, creating br a situation that benefits builders.br It helps that builders can be a little br bit more flexible in the terms that br they can offer buyers. You know, br they can pay points to help lower br the mortgage rate that buyers br of new constructions are getting, Danielle Hale, Chief economist at Realtor.com, via 'Newsweek'.br Builders don't have any br emotional skin in the game. br They're just trying to price for br what will get the deal done, Danielle Hale, Chief economist at Realtor.com, via 'Newsweek'.br Data from the Census Bureau and the Department br of Housing and Urban Development suggest that sales br of new single-family homes surged in September.br Sales were up over 12 compared with August, br reaching 759,000, which is almost 34 higher than br the same time in 2022, exceeding analyst expectations.br According to Danielle Hale, br chief economist at Realtor.com, the top five br of the top 20 markets are in state capitals. .br Prospective buyers looking to find affordable homes br can also reportedly look to places like Elkhart-Goshen, br Indiana, Springfield, Ohio, and Jefferson City, Missouri.br Prospective buyers looking to find affordable homes br can also reportedly look to places like Elkhart-Goshen, br Indiana, Springfield, Ohio, and Jefferson City, Missouri.