20 fastestes selling housing markets in the U.S. - 8 of them are in either California or Texas

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Even in today's depressed real estate environment, some areas are selling more briskly than others.

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Sunnyvale, Calif. 94087

Days on the Market (DOM): 66 days

Median Price: $1.031 million

Annual Asking Price Change: -0.4%

Annual DOM Change: 46.6%

Sunnyvale, an affluent community in Silicon Valley, is home to well-known high-tech companies including Yahoo! Home prices have remained relatively steady in San Francisco Bay area, largely because of the strong technology job center.

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Austin, Tex. 78749

Days on the Market (DOM): 68 days

Median Price: $250,693

Annual Asking Price Change: -0.9%

Annual DOM Change: 19.0%

Austin has the University of Texas, plenty of high-tech jobs, and one of the most vibrant rock music scenes in the world. The real estate market is one of the nation's real estate bright spots.

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San Diego, Calif. 92131

Days on the Market (DOM): 70 days

Median Price: $771,025

Annual Asking Price Change: -9.7%

Annual DOM Change: 14.7%

A wave of foreclosures has pushed down home prices in this coastal California city, which has long been known as one of the nation's most expensive places. The area is known for its numerous beaches and biotech research institutes.

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Plano, Tex. 75075

Days on the Market (DOM): 75 days

Median Price: $185,589

Annual Asking Price Change: -2.8%

Annual DOM Change: 9.9%

Plano, a Dallas suburb, is the most affluent city in the nation, according to a recent Census Bureau report that ranked places with populations of 250,000 or more. It's home to Frito-Lay, Perot Systems, and J.C. Penny.

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Portland, Ore. 97202

Days on the Market (DOM): 77 days

Median Price: $395,877

Annual Asking Price Change: -1.1%

Annual DOM Change: 27.7%

Portland, which invests heavily in public transportation and bicycle lanes, is considered by many to be the nation's greenest city. It's also a great place to sample beers from the city's many microbreweries. The city's home prices, during the boom, didn't rise as much as they did in other Western cities, and they're not falling as much either.

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Houston, Tex. 77094

Days on the Market (DOM): 77 days

Median Price: $351,803

Annual Asking Price Change: 6.7%

Annual DOM Change: 13.7%

High energy prices have kept Houston's economy humming and have given a boost to the housing market. It's one of the few major cities in the nation with strong home price growth.

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Wakefield, Mass. 01880

Days on the Market (DOM): 79 days

Median Price: $429,485

Annual Asking Price Change: -7.3%

Annual DOM Change: 3.7%

The scenic suburb of 25,000 is located 10 miles north of Boston. Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield is popular with bicyclists, joggers, and boaters.

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Seattle, Wash. 98117

Days on the Market (DOM): 86 days

Median Price: $535,020

Annual Asking Price Change: -0.9%

Annual DOM Change: 34.2%

The Seattle area is home not only to some of the world's most famous companies, including Microsoft and Starbucks, but also to the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier. The real estate market has slowed in Seattle but hasn't declined as much as in other major cities.

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Littleton, Colo. 80130

Days on the Market (DOM): 90 days

Median Price: $378,420

Annual Asking Price Change: 6.6%

Annual DOM Change: 79.9%

The middle-class Denver suburb came to national prominence in 1999 after the massacre at nearby Columbine High School. Matt Stone, the co-creator of the South Park cartoon, is from Littleton.

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Atlanta, Ga. 30340

Days on the Market (DOM): 91 days

Median Price: $217,285

Annual Asking Price Change: 5.5%

Annual DOM Change: 21.9%

Sprawling Atlanta is one of the most populous cities in the nation. It's home to the CNN cable news network, a major international airport, and many of the world's largest companies, including Coca-Cola, Home Depot, and Delta Air Lines.

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Philadelphia, Pa. 19115

Days on the Market (DOM): 92 days

Median Price: $260,253

Annual Asking Price Change: -4.4%

Annual DOM Change: 10.9%

Philadelphia is often overshadowed by neighboring Washington and New York. But Center City Philadelphia is going through a renaissance. Visitors are discovering that there's more to Philadelphia's than sports franchises and historic buildings. It's also a fabulous restaurant town.

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Minneapolis, Minn. 55437

Days on the Market (DOM): 96 days

Median Price: $291,870

Annual Asking Price Change: -5.5%

Annual DOM Change: 9.2%

Minneapolis is a cosmopolitan Midwestern city with a highly literate and progressive population. It has a history of milling and manufacturing but is now home to high-tech companies and major corporations such as Target.

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Tempe, Ariz. 85281

Days on the Market (DOM): 97 days

Median Price: $250,167

Annual Asking Price Change: -10.6%

Annual DOM Change: 40.1%

The city of 166,000 people borders Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa, and is home to the main campus of Arizona State University. It's also home to the corporate headquarters of US Airways.

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Venice, Calif. 90291

Days on the Market (DOM): 98 days

Median Price: $1.399 million

Annual Asking Price Change: 11.3%

Annual DOM Change: 8.8%

Venice, a district of Los Angeles, is a popular tourist destination and is known for Oceanfront Walk with its vendors, fortune tellers, street performers, and outdoor weightlifters.

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Boise, Idaho 83706

Days on the Market (DOM): 98 days

Median Price: $249,035

Annual Asking Price Change: -7.4%

Annual DOM Change: 32.5%

The city is the capital of Idaho and is the state's largest city. Boise, home of a heavy concentration of nationally known corporations such as grocery chain Albertsons, has maintained a strong economy despite recent declines in home prices. As USA Today described it last year: "Chalk it up, in large part, to chips—computer chips and potato chips."

*****

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

Days on the Market (DOM): 99 days

Median Price: $291,503

Annual Asking Price Change: 2.2%

Annual DOM Change: 27.2%

The Utah capital is located in a valley close to ski resorts in the Wasatch Mountains. It's also well known as the center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although Utah's liquor laws are stringent, the picturesque landscape offers opportunities for healthy pursuits such as camping, hiking, boating, and rock-climbing.

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White Plains, N.Y. 10605

Days on the Market (DOM): 100 days

Median Price: $965,299

Annual Asking Price Change: 0.3%

Annual DOM Change: 34.9%

White Plains is the county seat of Westchester County and is popular with commuters, who are only a 35-minute train ride from New York. The city, in recent years, has attracted more and more young professionals who take advantage of the city's relatively affordable condos, availability of parking, and proximity to Manhattan.

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Arlington, Va. 22207

Days on the Market (DOM): 100 days

Median Price: $954,500

Annual Asking Price Change: 0.6%

Annual DOM Change: 29.9%

Arlington, across the Potomac River from Washington, is considered one of the region's most walkable communities and offers good public transportation options for D.C. commuters. Among the city's most famous attractions is the Arlington National Cemetery, where President John F. Kennedy is buried.

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Davis, Calif. 95618

Days on the Market (DOM): 100 days

Median Price: $616,964

Annual Asking Price Change: -0.5%

Annual DOM Change: 19.5%

The progressive Northern California city is home to a campus of the University of California and is one of the most bicycle-friendly places in the country. It is located halfway between San Francisco Bay and Lake Tahoe.

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Pasadena, Calif. 91107

Days on the Market (DOM): 101 days

Median Price: $743,389

Annual Asking Price Change: -9.4%

Annual DOM Change: 13.6%

Pasadena, 15 miles north of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, is famous for the Rose Bowl football game and parade.

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Editor's Note: The ranking was based on the age of the average active home listing in each Zip Code on Aug. 22. The highest-ranked Zips had listings with the fewest "days on the market" (DOM). In cases where communities of relatively fast-selling real estate were clustered together, the best Zip Code in that area was chosen. The selected Zips had average and median DOM of no fewer than 101 days. The Zips were ranked based on the median DOM. The asking price is based on a 90-day rolling average ending Aug. 22. The annual DOM change compares the days on the market on Aug. 22 to a year earlier.

Source: Altos Research (http://www.altosresearch.com/)

URL: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/09/09...ing_homes/1.htm