The ‘Blue Wave’ Swept Top Homebuilding States. What Happens Next?

On Tuesday, the governor’s offices in five states were swept up by the “blue wave,” as Democrats were elected to succeed current Republican leadership.Iowa, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas all flipped the governor’s seat from Republican to Democrat, after Democrats campaigned heavily on issues of affordability.Of those five states, four rank in the top 15 on the Realtor.com® state Affordability & Homebuilding Report Cards for 2026, after making strides to expand housing supply under GOP leadership.The report cards rank states on a points scale based on two major factors: affordability, such as the share of the state’s median income required to afford its median-priced home, and homebuilding, whether states are producing enough new housing to keep up with demand.With affordability sticking out among the most important voter issues this year, how the new Democratic administrations improve, or at least maintain, states’ housing markets will be vital to whether they’re deemed successful.IowaDemocrat Rob Sand was selected by the voters of Iowa in an 11-point victory over Republican Zach Lahn. He will take over the position from outgoing Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.Iowa was ranked ...