Building Boom: Houses Are Springing Up at a Torrid Pace. Can it Continue?

Plus, expert advice on building a new home in Canaan Valley and the surrounding region

Homes under construction in Thomas.

Getting settled into their dream home has been a three-year odyssey for Nikki Forrester and Dylan Jones, and it’s not over yet.

The couple moved from one rental unit to another while shopping for houses that were for sale, but little was available in their price range. Prices were climbing fast and the Covid pandemic accelerated that trend. Most houses they could afford were riddled with problems.

They pivoted to building their own home and found a beautiful wooded lot, but new problems arose as they sought to lock down a builder. The prices quoted were out of reach, or high-quality local builders said they simply weren’t available. In some cases, they didn’t bother to return calls at all.

“Housing is incredibly tough here,” Jones said. “Even as people who feel we’re doing well in life in our late 30s, it’s still just astoundingly expensive.”

Big Demand

The story is a familiar one throughout the region — demand for new housing is off the charts, and local construction companies can’t keep up. It typically takes two to four years to build a home, and sometimes even longer.

During the last several months Country Roads News talked to builders, local officials, and people who are in the middle of the long journey from an idea for a dream home in the West Virginia mountains to reality. This article will explain the status of the construction market and why it’s still so tight.

You’ll also find expert advice to help you navigate the unique challenges this region poses for people hoping to build a primary residence or vacation home.

For Jones and Forrester, their home ownership quest required changing their expectations and significantly altering their construction strategy. More on that later.

Nikki Forrester and Dylan Jones, who publish Highland Outdoors magazine, share a light moment at the site where their new home will be built. 

Five-year waitlist