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U.S. For-Sale Land Still 24% Below 2019, Prices 77% Higher, Realtor.com Says

Permanent conversion of lots to housing has left a lasting land shortage that lifts construction costs.

Overview

  • Realtor.com, which released its first national land analysis on Tuesday, reports listings down 23.6% from Q1 2019 and a Q1 2026 median of $62,365 per acre.
  • Home listings began to recover in 2024, but land supply did not because parcels developed between 2020 and 2022 returned to the market as houses, not land.
  • Prices per acre are up 76.6% since 2019 even as Q1 2026 showed a slight 0.5% year-over-year dip, driven by a 5.9% decline in the West and small gains elsewhere.
  • The Northeast and Midwest posted the largest cumulative gains since 2019 at about 101% and 89%, while the West rose roughly 32% and is now weakening.
  • Raw, undeveloped parcels climbed the most since 2019 at 86.5% versus 53.3% for build-ready lots, a gap that can push up new-home price floors and delay projects.