RICHMOND, Va. β Richmond's housing market is expected to be among the most competitive in the country in 2026, according to a new analysis from Zillow.
Richmond ranked #9 on Zillow's 2026 hottest markets forecast, which draws on data like past and expected home price growth, job growth per new home permitted, and 2025 data such as how quickly homes sold, how often sellers cut prices, and the share of homes that sold for over listed price.
"Competition among buyers will be stiff and sellers will have the upper hand in this year's hottest markets," reads a statement from Zillow chief economist Mischa Fisher.
Richmond retained the #9 spot from the 2025 list.
| 2026 Hottest Markets Rank | Metropolitan Area | 2025 Rank | Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), October 2025 | ZHVI Year over Year (YoY) Growth, Oct. 2025 | Home Value Growth Forecast, YoY in Oct. 2026 | Zillow Market Heat Index 2025 | Change in Inventor Versus 2018β2019 Averages |
| 1 | Hartford, CT | 4 | $381,760 | 4.3 % | 3.9 % | 89.6 | -63.0 % |
| 2 | Buffalo, NY | 1 | $277,499 | 3.7 % | 2.5 % | 95.8 | -39.1 % |
| 3 | New York, NY | 41 | $704,284 | 2.9 % | 1.5 % | 76.3 | -48.4 % |
| 4 | Providence, RI | 3 | $503,409 | 2.5 % | 3.0 % | 70.0 | -54.9 % |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | 48 | $1,558,466 | -2.1 % | 1.2 % | 90.6 | -26.7 % |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | 5 | $378,054 | 3.0 % | 1.7 % | 59.8 | -39.4 % |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 16 | $717,711 | 1.2 % | 1.5 % | 75.2 | -30.3 % |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | 34 | $941,869 | -1.2 % | 1.1 % | 63.4 | -18.5 % |
| 9 | Richmond, VA | 9 | $383,275 | 1.3 % | 2.1 % | 69.1 | -34.2 % |
| 10 | Milwaukee, WI | 42 | $369,303 | 3.7 % | 2.1 % | 65.2 | -25.7 % |
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