The top 10 cities to buy a newly built home in the US

Alcynna Lloyd Business 29 Aug, 2026 Americas

Charleston, South Carolina, ranks as the top US city for buying a newly built home, according to a recent report from Realtor.com.

Aerial view of historic Charleston rooftops and church steeples at sunset under a colorful sky. — Charleston, South Carolina.
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Homeowners are still staying put, making it hard for homebuyers to find available homes for sale.
The good news is that homebuilders are stepping up their efforts, especially in the South.
Realtor.com ranked the top 10 metros for buying a newly built home, and most are in the Carolinas.

Nearly halfway through the year, the housing market remains stuck in a familiar rut: Many homeowners with low mortgage rates are staying put, leaving prospective buyers to compete for the few homes available for sale.

The good news is that homebuilders are stepping up construction efforts, particularly in the South, according to a report from Realtor.com. The company ranked the 10 metros where buyers are most likely to find a newly built home at a competitive price.

"New construction is one of the most important ways to expand the supply of homes available to buyers, but the opportunity is not evenly distributed across the country," said Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner. He added that builders in the South are constructing homes "at prices that compete with, and in some cases beat, existing homes."

North and South Carolina dominate the ranking, with six metros appearing on the list. In recent years, the Carolinas have attracted many Americans with their relatively affordable home prices and cost of living, as well as draws such as small-town charm and historic sites.

Florida in particular has been a major source of inbound migration to the Carolinas, especially North Carolina. State-to-state migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that nearly 40,000 people moved from Florida to North Carolina in 2023 — the largest number of movers from any state, including South Carolina.

Native Floridian Kimberly Jones previously told Business Insider that she moved to North Carolina in 2025 for a lower cost of living and to build a home she could afford.

It appears that builders are responding to that demand, too. Here are the 10 best metros to buy a newly built home, according to Realtor.com.

10. Columbia, SC