Finance: The 15 American cities where competition to buy a home is fiercest

San Francisco and San Jose, California, are the hardest places in America to buy a home right now.

• Over-demand for homes is ruling the housing market in many cities.
• Buyers in the best position to buy a home typically have mortgage financing in place, a credit score above 680, and a down payment above 15%.
• But many markets, like San Francisco and San Jose, have an oversaturation of these buyers, leading to heightened competition.

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It's a tough time for Americans to buy a home.

US housing supply remains low and prices keep rising, making the competition among buyers the fiercest it has been in years.

Over-demand is ruling the market in many cities. In San Francisco, a home sold for nearly $1 million over its asking price last October in order to pre-empt a bidding war.

In a recent report, LendingTree identified the most competitive markets for buyers right now based on 2017 mortgage loan data. LendingTree looked at 1.5 million mortgage requests for new home purchases across the 100 largest US cities and then ranked each city based on three criteria:

1. The share of buyers who shop for a mortgage before they find the house they want. It's more appealing to sellers when a buyer is pre-approved for financing well before making an offer.
2. The average down payment as a percentage of the purchase price. A high down payment can help buyers qualify for an even larger mortgage amount or a lower interest rate on the loan.
3. The percentage of buyers who have a credit score above 680. Someone with a prime credit score has more financing options available to them.

The cities where the most buyers have financing in place, a down payment above 15% of the purchase price, and a prime credit score were ranked by LendingTree as the most competitive.

Below, check out the 15 most competitive places to buy a home in the US right now:

15. Las Vegas, Nevada

Average down payment: 14%

Buyers with prime credit: 49%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 62%

14. Madison, Wisconsin

Average down payment: 15%

Buyers with prime credit: 54%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 58%

13. Phoenix, Arizona

Average down payment: 15%

Buyers with prime credit: 50%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 60%

12. Boise, Idaho

Average down payment: 15%

Buyers with prime credit: 49%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 61%

11. Boston, Massachusetts

Average down payment: 16%

Buyers with prime credit: 57%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 57%

10. Sacramento, California

Average down payment: 15%

Buyers with prime credit: 49%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 63%

9. Portland, Oregon

Average down payment: 14%

Buyers with prime credit: 54%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 63%

8. Honolulu, Hawaii

Average down payment: 16%

Buyers with prime credit: 59%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 58%

7. Seattle, Washington

Average down payment: 15%

Buyers with prime credit: 55%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 62%

6. Los Angeles, California

Average down payment: 17%

Buyers with prime credit: 52%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 62%

5. Ventura, California

Average down payment: 16%

Buyers with prime credit: 57%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 60%

4. San Diego, California

Average down payment: 16%

Buyers with prime credit: 57%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 61%

3. Denver, Colorado

Average down payment: 16%

Buyers with prime credit: 56%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 65%

2. San Jose, California

Average down payment: 19%

Buyers with prime credit: 64%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 59%

1. San Francisco, California

Average down payment: 18%

Buyers with prime credit: 63%

Buyers pre-shopping for a mortgage: 60%

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