9 best housing markets for first-time home buyers

It's tough out there for first-time home buyers.

The housing market is currently facing an under-supply problem that is helping to lift prices beyond the affordable reach of many Americans - especially for those looking to purchase their first home.

As such, the team at Zillow investigated which markets were the best for new home buyers.

They based their ranking on several variables, including the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), which is essentially the median price for homes in a given area, the percentage of monthly income spent on a mortgage payment versus on rent, and available inventory.

Check them out below.