Markets  ›  VA  ›  Virginia Beach / Norfolk

Virginia Beach / Norfolk, VA housing market

Virginia Beach / Norfolk, VA metro median sale price $384K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.5% year over year.

The median sale price in the Virginia Beach / Norfolk, VA metro is $384K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.5% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The gain is larger than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro agrees within 0.1 points (up 3.6% through Q2 2026).

On median sale price, Virginia Beach / Norfolk ($384K) ranks 4th of the nine Virginia metros Pecan Street tracks, between Winchester ($411K) and Staunton ($360K). On median days on market, Virginia Beach / Norfolk (44 days) ranks 8th of the nine Virginia metros, between Richmond (44 days) and Winchester (44 days). On share of listings with a price cut, Virginia Beach / Norfolk (33%) ranks 8th of the nine Virginia metros, between Staunton (34%) and Charlottesville (31%).

Listings spent a median 44 days on market in Sep 2026, fewer than in most of the 385 metros. 33% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 2.3 points lower. That share is lower than in most of the 385 metros. Median asking prices sit about 12% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 263 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $2,066 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $89K a year. The median sale price equals about 14 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio up 7.0% from a year earlier. That ratio is lower than in most of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $223 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 2.9%.

In seven of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are higher than a year earlier; five are lower.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$384K

+3.5% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$2,066/mo

$89K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Virginia Beach / Norfolk compares to other U.S. metros

Asking-vs-sale gap↑38th of 291 (top 14%)
Days on market↓331st of 385
Price-to-rent↓275th of 373
Price cuts↓262nd of 385
Home-price growth↑153rd of 383 (top 40%)

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 14 +7.0% YoY
↓275th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$223 +2.9% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 33% -2.3 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↓262nd of 385
New housing units permitted263

The median asking price $430K runs about 12% above the median sale price $384K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Sep 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 111
MLS board of record—
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

Virginia Beach / Norfolk · ConstructionCOPIED

Virginia Beach / Norfolk builders pulled 7.5% more single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Virginia Beach / Norfolk metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct18024030036042020252026
AprJulOct18024030036042020252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec272270—
Nov252311—
Oct283226—
Sep311282207
Aug314270313
Jul357345384
Jun294247284
May370287271
Apr264274308
Mar332260402
Feb332230339
Jan250308242

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Virginia Beach / Norfolk metro area pulled 3,557 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 7.5% more than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 9.9% above the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Virginia Beach / Norfolk area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Virginia Beach / Norfolk · Home pricesCOPIED

Virginia Beach / Norfolk home prices are 3.6% higher than a year ago

Home prices in the Virginia Beach / Norfolk metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

19801990200020102020-9%0%9%18%27%Virginia Beach / Norfolk
19801990200020102020-9%0%9%18%27%Virginia Beach / Norfolk
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateVirginia Beach / Norfolk
Jun 20263.6%
Mar 20264.6%
Dec 20253.8%
Sep 20255.6%
Jun 20255.8%
Mar 20256.4%
Dec 20247.4%
Sep 20245.3%
Jun 20245.3%
Mar 20247.7%
Dec 20235.9%
Sep 20236.3%
Jun 20236.2%
Mar 20237%
Dec 202210.6%
Sep 202212.7%
Jun 202217%
Mar 202215.5%
Dec 202114.7%
Sep 202114.2%
Jun 202110.4%
Mar 20217.2%
Dec 20206.1%
Sep 20204.5%
Jun 20204.9%
Mar 20205.1%
Dec 20195.1%
Sep 20194.1%
Jun 20192.6%
Mar 20192.4%
Dec 20181%
Sep 20181.5%
Jun 20182.3%
Mar 20182.8%
Dec 20171.9%
Sep 20172.4%
Jun 20172.2%
Mar 20172.7%
Dec 20161.9%
Sep 20162.6%
Jun 20162.2%
Mar 2016-0.1%
Dec 20151.8%
Sep 20152%
Jun 20152.7%
Mar 20153.4%
Dec 20143.9%
Sep 20142%
Jun 20140.4%
Mar 2014-0.1%
Dec 2013-1.3%
Sep 2013-0.5%
Jun 20130.9%
Mar 2013-0.1%
Dec 2012-1.4%
Sep 2012-1%
Jun 2012-2.5%
Mar 2012-4.2%
Dec 2011-5.3%
Sep 2011-7%
Jun 2011-5.6%
Mar 2011-4.2%
Dec 2010-2.6%
Sep 2010-2.6%
Jun 2010-5.6%
Mar 2010-6.5%
Dec 2009-5.7%
Sep 2009-5.5%
Jun 2009-4.8%
Mar 2009-4.4%
Dec 2008-4.5%
Sep 2008-3.5%
Jun 2008-2.4%
Mar 20080.3%
Dec 20071.5%
Sep 20072.9%
Jun 20074.8%
Mar 20076.9%
Dec 20069.6%
Sep 200612%
Jun 200616.3%
Mar 200621.2%
Dec 200522.7%
Sep 200522.8%
Jun 200525%
Mar 200522.8%
Dec 200421%
Sep 200422.4%
Jun 200417.1%
Mar 200413.5%
Dec 200312%
Sep 20038%
Jun 20037.5%
Mar 20037.7%
Dec 20027.6%
Sep 20027.6%
Jun 20026.9%
Mar 20025.8%
Dec 20016.3%
Sep 20015.8%
Jun 20015.6%
Mar 20016%
Dec 20004.4%
Sep 20004.7%
Jun 20003.9%
Mar 20003.5%
Dec 19993.1%
Sep 19992.8%
Jun 19993%
Mar 19991.9%
Dec 19983.1%
Sep 19983.4%
Jun 19983.3%
Mar 19983.6%
Dec 19973.2%
Sep 19972.6%
Jun 19972%
Mar 19971.2%
Dec 19961.5%
Sep 19960.9%
Jun 19962.5%
Mar 19964.6%
Dec 19953.5%
Sep 19953.4%
Jun 19951.4%
Mar 1995-0.2%
Dec 19940.1%
Sep 19941%
Jun 19941.6%
Mar 19942.9%
Dec 19931.7%
Sep 19931.6%
Jun 19932.9%
Mar 19930.4%
Dec 19922.3%
Sep 19923.2%
Jun 19921.2%
Mar 19922.9%
Dec 19912.3%
Sep 19910.5%
Jun 19911.1%
Mar 19910.6%
Dec 19900.1%
Sep 19900.6%
Jun 19900.7%
Mar 19902.2%
Dec 19892.7%
Sep 19893.1%
Jun 19892.9%
Mar 19892.3%
Dec 19883.9%
Sep 19883.3%
Jun 19884.7%
Mar 19886%
Dec 19874.9%
Sep 19876.1%
Jun 19875.9%
Mar 19876.1%
Dec 19867.1%
Sep 19865.6%
Jun 19865.5%
Mar 19865.9%
Dec 19855.7%
Sep 19855.6%
Jun 19856.5%
Mar 19855.9%
Dec 19849.5%
Sep 198413.9%
Jun 198411.6%
Mar 19847.3%
Dec 19839.7%
Sep 19836.9%
Jun 19837.9%
Mar 19838.7%
Dec 19821.7%
Sep 19822.2%
Jun 19828.1%
Mar 19827.3%
Dec 19818.3%
Sep 19814.6%
Jun 1981-1.2%
Mar 19811.6%
Dec 19803.8%
Sep 198014.4%
Jun 198015.6%
Mar 198015.7%
Dec 197913.8%
Sep 19798.8%
Jun 19798.9%
Mar 197913.8%
Dec 19789.8%
Sep 19787.6%
Jun 197811.1%
Mar 19784.6%
Dec 197710.4%
Sep 19779.1%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Virginia Beach / Norfolk metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 3.6% above its level a year earlier. Since 1977, prices have risen an average of 4.9% a year. That is the weakest reading since the second quarter of 2019. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Virginia Beach / Norfolk home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

normal · 0.1pp

Redfin (metro)

+3.5%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+3.6%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

More markets in VA

BlacksburgCharlottesvilleHarrisonburgLynchburgRichmondRoanokeStauntonWinchester

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
23185$525K↓210↑72↑52↓44↓$465K↑
23188$550K↓261↑80↑7652↓$476K↑
23320$420K↑180↑76↑64↑45↑$392K↑
23321$469K↓142↑44↑40↑54↑$405K↑
23322$667K↓234↑88↓60↑44↑$555K↑
23434$397K↑287↑96↑64↓47↓$341K↑
23435$530K↑183↓64↑32↓52↓$452K↑
23451$700K↑219↑68↑60↑53↑$660K↑
23454$494K↑129↑56↑44↑37↑$460K↑
23456$629K↓193↑80↑60↑48↓$556K↑
23462$345K↑146↑76↑68↑36↑$328K↑
23464$425K↑128↑80↑48↑31↑$407K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.