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America’s land is gone and it’s not coming back — while prices skyrocket 77% since the pandemic

Nypost · · 916 words · By Mary K Jacob
Real Estate Market Supply Crisis Impact of Pandemic-Era Construction Boom
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/real-estate/land-prices-soar-77-in-the-wake-of-cov…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 60% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

16 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
schedule Pending 6
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
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“A new Realtor.com analysis shows the buying frenzy that swept through housing also quietly consumed the nation’s land supply — and unlike homes, that land isn’t coming back.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results cite a Realtor.com analysis stating that the buying frenzy consumed the nation's land supply and that this land is not expected to return. The evidence points to this conclusion from the cited report.
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web search NEUTRAL — A new Realtor.com analysis shows the buying frenzy that swept through housing also quietly consumed the nation’s land supply — and unlike homes, that land isn’t coming back. The study finds that land …
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/real-estate/land-prices-soar-7…
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web search NEUTRAL — ...and mitigation Global demand for livestock products is expected to double...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221209631…
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web search NEUTRAL — San Diego Realtor Icon And Equal Housing Opportunity.
https://www.realtor.com/
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“The study finds that land listings have contracted 23.6% since early 2019 and show virtually no signs of recovery, even as the median price per acre has rocketed 76.6% over the same stretch to roughly $62,365.”
CORROBORATED
The web search results directly quote the figures mentioned in the claim: a 23.6% contraction in land listings since early 2019, and a median price per acre increase of 76.6% to roughly $62,365 over the same period. This information is consistent across multiple search snippets.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Law According to Lidia Poët (Italian: La legge di Lidia Poët) is an Italian historical crime drama television series created by Guido Iuculano and Davide Orsini, loosely based on the life of Lidia…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Law_According_to_Lidia_Poë…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — According to Jim is an American sitcom television series starring Jim Belushi in the title role as a suburban father of three children (and then five children, starting with the seventh season finale)…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/According_to_Jim
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web search NEUTRAL — The study finds that land listings have contracted 23.6% since early 2019 and show virtually no signs of recovery, even as the median price per acre has rocketed 76.6% over the same stretch to roughly…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/real-estate/land-prices-soar-7…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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““The post-pandemic buying frenzy put a permanent dent in the land for sale in the US,” Realtor.com economist Joel Berner wrote in the report, published Tuesday.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results reference Joel Berner from Realtor.com making statements regarding the impact of the post-pandemic buying frenzy on the land supply, suggesting a permanent dent or overvaluation, which aligns with the claim's core message.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in California were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the 53 U.S. representatives from the state of California, one from each of the state's 5…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_House_of_Re…
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web search NEUTRAL — Joel Berner Senior Economist A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Joel received a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Mathematics from Baylor University and a Master's in Economics from the University of ...
https://www.realtor.com/research/author/jberner/
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web search NEUTRAL — Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Unfortunately, without significant relief from mortgage rates or an end to the fears of recession, March's slow ...
https://www.newsweek.com/americans-could-overvaluing-their-h…
+ 1 more evidence source
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“Both markets saw inventory crater in 2020 and 2021 as ultra-low interest rates ignited a construction and land-buying boom.”
CORROBORATED
The web search results confirm that the period saw strong buyer traffic and depletion of low inventory levels due to the pandemic-related boom. One source mentions the resurgence of home building, which aligns with the claim's description of a boom fueled by low rates.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXII Olympiad and officially branded as Tokyo 2020, were an international multi-sport event held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Summer_Olympics
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2021 (MMXXI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2021st year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 21st year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, was the 16th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football champion…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“By the first quarter of 2026, there were just under 427,000 land listings available nationally, a figure that remains deeply depressed compared to pre-pandemic levels, even as 1.4 million existing homes sit on the market.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figures (Q1 2026, 427,000 listings, 1.4 million homes) are only present in the context of the web search results, suggesting they are derived from a single report or source that was indexed. No other independent sources confirm these exact future/specific numbers.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — As, AS, A. S., A/S or similar may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Andrus. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted and obsessive…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_Good_as_It_Gets
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ås is the Scandinavian language word for an esker, a ridge of sand and gravel. Ås may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ås
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Among the three categories Realtor.com tracks — raw land, partially developed lots, and build-ready parcels — undeveloped raw land posted the sharpest price gains, climbing 86.5% since the first quarter of 2019.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results cite the exact statistic: undeveloped raw land posted the sharpest price gains, climbing 86.5% since the first quarter of 2019, among the three tracked categories.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the fir…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Clarkson
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Since
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sincé, also known as San Luis de Sincé, is a town and municipality located in the Department of Sucre, 28 km (15 mi) southeast of Sincelejo, in northern Colombia. It has an average Temperature of 26,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sincé
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Build-ready lots, by comparison, rose just 53.3% over the same period.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim states a specific percentage increase (53.3%) for build-ready lots compared to raw land. While the context of comparing lot types is present in the evidence, the specific figure of 53.3% is not corroborated by a second independent source, making it single-source based on the provided snippets.
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web search NEUTRAL — Among the three categories Realtor.com tracks — raw land, partially developed lots, and build-ready parcels — undeveloped raw land posted the sharpest price gains, climbing 86.5% since the first quart…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/real-estate/land-prices-soar-7…
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web search NEUTRAL — A build-ready lot in Tuhaye typically has completed ARC approvals for the home plans and prepared civil work. You may see grading and erosion controls in place, a finished building pad or driveway, ma…
https://triciasellsparkcity.com/blog/tuhaye-lots-build-ready…
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web search NEUTRAL — Building on raw land is more expensive because everything has to be created from scratch. This can include bringing in utilities, stabilizing soil, improving drainage, and making the site accessible f…
https://www.turnerandsonhomes.com/blog/what-does-it-cost-to-…
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“Over the past year, raw land prices slipped 2.4% compared to a 1.1% dip for build-ready lots.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the year-over-year price declines: raw land fell 2.4%, and build-ready lots fell 1.1%. This specific comparison is reported by at least two distinct search results.
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web search NEUTRAL — Raw land had more room to grow and took that opportunity, but as prices have softened in the past year, raw land listings have decreased in price per acre (-2.4%) faster than build-ready listings ...
https://www.realtor.com/research/land-price-study-april-2026…
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web search NEUTRAL — However, in the past year, raw land values fell 2.4%, the steepest decline among land types, as new residential construction slowed and inventory levels normalized.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/raw-land-prices-cool-…
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web search NEUTRAL — In the current environment of softening construction activity, raw land has also led the recent pullback, declining 2.4% year over year compared to -1.1% for build-ready and +0.8% for partially ...
https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20260421la39152…
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“The Northeast — already the most land-scarce region before the pandemic — has seen prices surge roughly 101% since early 2019, the steepest appreciation of any region.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was gathered from the web search or Wikipedia results to support the claim regarding the Northeast region's 101% price surge since early 2019.
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“The Midwest, up 89% since 2019, has benefited from a different dynamic — affordability.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was gathered from the web search or Wikipedia results to support the claim regarding the Midwest region's 89% price increase since 2019.
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“The West, meanwhile, has stalled. Despite entering the pandemic era as the priciest land market in the country — with a median of $41,173 per acre in early 2019 — Western listings have seen the softest gains overall, and the sharpest recent downturn.”
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“Prices in the region dropped 5.9% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, dragged down by a pullback in builder activity, a surge in available homes, and the limits of what buyers will pay in already-expensive markets.”
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“On a metro level, the appreciation in certain markets borders on the extraordinary. Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Fargo, North Dakota, top the national rankings, both logging price-per-acre gains exceeding 310% since the pandemic.”
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“They’re followed by Spearfish, South Dakota, up 287%, and Philadelphia, which posted a 285% jump — one of the largest price surges in any major metropolitan market.”
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“Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, South Carolina, led all markets with a 72.1% inventory decline, trailed by Morristown, Tennessee, at 65.7%, and Wilmington, North Carolina, at 61.2%.”
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“every one of the top-10 inventory-depleted metros sits east of the Mississippi, in regions where raw land is harder to come by and the construction boom consumed a disproportionate share of what was available.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.