The 2026 National Housing Supply Summit was held in Washington, D.C., on March 18 (via Builder Online).

The 2026 National Housing Supply Summit was held in Washington, D.C., on March 18.

The second-annual event was mainly centered around the ways builders influence affordability and the housing supply. Panelists discussed solutions to the housing shortage, as well as ways homebuilders are adapting their practices to address gaps.

Here are five new-construction trends homebuyers are likely to see as a result.

Smaller lots

Homebuilders are pushing to allow for smaller lots, which would lower land costs and also create opportunities for smaller, more affordable homes.

Standardized designs

One of the simplest ways to expediate the zoning, coding and permitting processes is pre-approved, standardized home designs and frameworks. The practice creates clear expectations for homebuyers and helps builders construct more homes in less time.

Manufactured construction

Offsite, modular building practices are set to increase in popularity as builders begin to use a combination method of on-site construction with factory-built components.

Factories can also print floor plans directly onto the subfloor to cut down on-site errors. One builder claimed the practice reduced building time by about 25 days.

Hyper-local solutions

One-size-fits-all solutions won’t work across the country. Expect to see builders add a wide variety of home types to the market nationwide.

“Supply constraints are shaped by local barriers, and therefore require locally led solutions,” said Asa Fleming of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Rethinking homeownership

One way to reduce costs is to redefine what homeownership means, discarding all-or-nothing models. Possible approaches include separating land and home ownership, which would reduce up-front costs, and shared equity models (like co-ownership or co-op arrangements), which would make use of underutilized space.