According to a Zillow® analysis, home shoppers like homes in some of the most luxurious neighborhoods in the country. That doesn't mean they buy them, however.
Zillow analyzed which neighborhoods in major metro areas have the most-loved homes, based on the number of favorites per home.
Favoriting, or adding to a list of homes in which one is interested, on Zillow is a way for shoppers to save homes.
Why users are saving the homes is not clear. The most preferred areas are luxury neighborhoods, popular vacation or retirement communities, and up-and-coming urban locales that offer potential investment opportunities.
Topping the list are The Oaks, a star-studded neighborhood near Los Angeles in Calabasas, Lake Nona Estates, a golfing community in Orlando, and Kingswood, located in Atlanta's affluent Buckhead district. Home values in each of these neighborhoods are at least three times greater than in their overall metro areas.
"There are some common patterns. The homes that Zillow shoppers have loved the most over the past year cluster into the beautiful, the fun, and the expensive," said Zillow senior economist Aaron Terrazas.
"Inventory is starting to recover, but home shoppers still have to decide between the must-haves and the extras that they are willing to do without," Terrazas continued. "Shoppers may gravitate toward fantasy homes and neighborhoods initially, but most often decide on homes in more affordable communities with good access to transit and jobs, as evidenced by home prices growing fastest in these types of areas."
A previous Zillow analysis found that homes with more favorites sell faster and for more money. Homes across the U.S. that receive 30 or more favorites within their first week of hitting the market typically sell in under two weeks, with more than 40% selling above list price. Sellers can check their Owner Dashboard to track how many people have favorited their home.
These are the most-favorited neighborhoods in each of the nation's 35 largest metros:
| Metro | Neighborhood | City | Median Home Value in Metro Areaiii | Median Home Value in Neighborhood | % above Metro Home Value | $ above Metro Home Value |
| New York, NY | Riverdale | New York, NY | $437,300 | $952,300 | 118% | $515,000 |
| Los Angeles- Long Beach- Anaheim, CA | The Oaks | Calabasas, CA | $650,200 | $3,030,600 | 366% | $2,380,400 |
| Chicago, IL | Lincoln Park | Kenosha, WI | $224,200 | $462,200 | 106% | $238,000 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | Las Mariposas | Garland, TX | $240,200 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Philadelphia, PA | Manayunk | Philadelphia, PA | $231,800 | $225,200 | -3% | -$6,600 |
| Houston, TX | Downtown | Houston, TX | $204,300 | $305,400 | 49% | $101,100 |
| Washington, DC | Langston | Washington, DC | $404,100 | $531,800 | 32% | $127,700 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Pineapple Park - Ibis | West Palm Beach, FL | $282,700 | $464,300 | 64% | $181,600 |
| Atlanta, GA | Kingswood | Atlanta, GA | $216,600 | $1,589,700 | 634% | $1,373,100 |
| Boston, MA | Ellisville | Plymouth, MA | $463,600 | $417,700 | -10% | -$45,900 |
| San Francisco, CA | West Sherman Acres | Pleasant Hill, CA | $962,300 | $653,900 | -32% | -$308,400 |
| Detroit, MI | Palmer Woods | Detroit, MI | $159,400 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Riverside, CA | Escena | Palm Springs, CA | $365,400 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Phoenix, AZ | The Gardens | Gilbert, AZ | $263,200 | $231,400 | -12% | -$31,800 |
| Seattle, WA | North Creek | Bothell, WA | $488,400 | $632,600 | 30% | $144,200 |
| Minneapolis- St Paul, MN | Mckinley | Minneapolis, MN | $266,000 | $152,800 | -43% | -$113,200 |
| San Diego, CA | South Beach | Carlsbad, CA | $592,700 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| St. Louis, MO | Tiffany | Saint Louis, MO | $166,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tampa, FL | Bartlett Park | Saint Petersburg, FL | $212,900 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Baltimore, MD | Garwyn Oaks | Baltimore, MD | $267,600 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Denver, CO | Jefferson Park | Denver, CO | $403,600 | $534,900 | 33% | $131,300 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Southside Flats | Pittsburgh, PA | $143,800 | $210,300 | 46% | $66,500 |
| Portland, OR | Forest Park - Linnton | Portland, OR | $395,700 | $540,000 | 36% | $144,300 |
| Charlotte, NC | First Ward | Charlotte, NC | $205,100 | $292,400 | 43% | $87,300 |
| Sacramento, CA | Old North Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | $406,900 | $216,200 | -47% | -$190,700 |
| San Antonio, TX | Maverick Creek | San Antonio, TX | $191,800 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Orlando, FL | Lake Nona Estates | Orlando, FL | $235,300 | $1,485,600 | 531% | $1,250,300 |
| Cincinnati, OH | Linwood | Cincinnati, OH | $167,700 | $197,800 | 18% | $30,100 |
| Cleveland, OH | Boulevard | Shaker Heights, OH | $145,000 | $363,800 | 151% | $218,800 |
| Kansas City, MO | Timberland Creek | Overland Park, KS | $190,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Las Vegas, NV | Midway | Henderson, NV | $278,000 | $254,000 | -9% | -$24,000 |
| Columbus, OH | Southern Orchards | Columbus, OH | $188,400 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indianapolis, IN | Mapleton-Fall Creek | Indianapolis, IN | $162,700 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| San Jose, CA | Downtown North | Palo Alto, CA | $1,253,500 | $2,699,400 | 115% | $1,445,900 |
| Austin, TX | Downtown | Austin, TX | $306,600 | $424,700 | 39% | $118,100 |
