The housing market needs an additional 2.5 million units just to match what is needed for long-term demand. As it turns out, housing inventory is lagging, driving up rent and home prices, which will continue to outpace income growth.

Inventory shortages long impact home prices in the bottom 95% of the market. But now, according to a new report from Redfin, the problem made its way into the luxury housing market. While competition isn’t as strong for luxury homes, that inventory is still shrinking.

On the list of factors preventing potential homebuyers from entering the market, you can mark off rising home prices, dwindling inventory and fierce competition, which all seem to have little effect on the increasing demand for homes. In fact, Redfin’s Housing Demand Index hit an all-new high in May.

Inventory shortages — two words that plague would-be homebuyers and the housing economy overall. Laurie Goodman, codirector of the Housing Finance Policy Center with the Urban Institute, recently sat down with HousingWire to explain why the lack of housing availability keeps her up at night.

The latest mortgage application report posted sad and familiar news. Applications are stuck in limbo as inventory stifles any housing demand in the market — Americans don’t see the point in applying for a mortgage until conditions improve. This problem isn't forever though, as at least one top Wall Street bank sees a better future for housing.

Two facts stand out in today’s housing market: rising home sales and flat/falling inventory. But if people are buying more homes, why aren’t there more homes for sale? Genworth Mortgage Insurance's chief economist explains what exactly is going on and what it means for first-time homebuyers.

The ability to save for a down payment is no longer the biggest hurdle for first-time homebuyers. According to a new housing report from Fitch Ratings, there’s a new problem that’s creating an even bigger roadblock—inventory shortages. This is what the report says is being done to fix the problem.

Four years in active recovery, and the housing market can’t seem to get past the inventory shortage that penetrates into all crevasses of the industry. And while this won’t change this year, there may be hope for next year as builders start to play catch-up.

A lack of housing inventory continues to stifle the housing market, making it difficult for potential homeowners to get on the property ladder. And according to the latest quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors, the problem is not going to subside anytime soon, impacting more than first-time homebuyers.

While this past year struggled to keep a high level of inventory on the market, it's looking like next year won't be any better. And despite demand slowly recovering, low inventory levels have weighed on home sales and put upwards pressure on house prices. So just how tight will next year be?