06/18/2026
Supply Constraints Continue to Impact Virginia Buyers
Housing inventory across the Commonwealth remains historically tight, a legacy of underbuilding that accelerated after the 2008 financial crisis and has never fully recovered. Limited inventory keeps upward pressure on home prices even as mortgage rates fluctuate. To emphasize upon the prevalence of limited inventory options for gainfully employed Virginia households, we estimated the housing supply shortage for households with an income above 80% AMI (Area Median Income). We concluded that Virginia had almost 188,000 fewer houses than required to meet market-rate housing needs. The table below highlights the distribution of this supply shortage across different areas in Virginia. Furthermore, by 2030, the shortfall is projected to reach 214,000 units. For the Commonwealth, closing the supply gap through policies such as zoning reform and increased housing starts is of the essence.
