The number of times a particular property is scheduled for a home showing is a good indication of how much interest buyers have in that listing. Similarly, tracking showings on a nationwide basis can offer a big-picture look at home buyer trends and the level of overall interest in buying a house.

According to recent numbers collected as part of the ShowingTime Showing Index, home showings increased 7.3 percent year-over year in September, with big increases seen in the Northeast and Midwest. In fact, the Northeast saw the biggest annual increase, rising 11.5 percent over the same time last year. The Midwest rose 8.3 percent and the West was up 7 percent. The South was relatively flat from last September, though that is likely due to the impact of recent hurricanes rather than any regional lag in buyer demand.

Taken as a whole, the data suggests that there is growing interest in homeownership among Americans, with significant increases in the number of home showings across nearly every region. However, since home sales aren’t showing equally large gains, it could be an indication that there are a lot of interested buyers but not as many homes available for them to buy.