Looking to purchase a home? These U.S. cities are the most buyer-friendly.

Prospective homebuyers in search of less competition and more selection may want to consider moving to the South, according to a housing market heat index from real estate marketplace Zillow.

That's because a boom in construction in Texas and Florida has stabilized home prices and eased competition in those regions, Zillow's new index shows.  If fewer homes go pending quickly, more listings see price cuts or fewer buyers click on a listing, the index will trend toward buyers. 

In most major U.S. cities, buyers this year face slim pickings compared with the number of homes for sale before the pandemic, however, inventory in Texas cities Austin and San Antonio has actually grown higher. In Florida, cities Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville "have among the smallest deficits," according to Zillow.