North Carolina (NC) housing market

Name: North Carolina Housing Market Data
Creator: Redfin

Cool Market

Statewide monthly sale-market indicators for rental investors — not a substitute for local rent comps, taxes, or insurance, but a fast read on price level, pace, and negotiation pressure.

Data period: May 2026

Market snapshot

Median sale price: $398K
Median days on market: 52 days
Months of supply: 3.9
Active inventory: 54,024
Homes sold: 13,926
Sale-to-list ratio: 98.3%
Listings with price drop: 29.6%
Data month: May 2026

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Pair this view with the rental property calculator, DSCR calculator, and cap rate calculator — or browse all calculators.

Rental Investor Snapshot

Labels below come from monthly sale-market indicators only. True cash flow requires local rent, taxes, insurance, vacancy, and expense assumptions — model those in the rental calculator, then sanity-check against sale-speed signals here.

Market temperature: Balanced
Buyer leverage: High
Pricing signal vs. U.S. median: Easier buy-in vs. U.S. median (price only)
Investor fit (heuristic): Buy-in vs. U.S. · Negotiation

Watch-outs

Elevated price cuts can signal negotiation room — verify condition, rents, and comps street-by-street.

Suggested next step: Run a rental property analysis with your own rent, financing, vacancy, and expense assumptions — then sanity-check against this market's sale-speed and negotiation signals.

Cool Market

Buyer activity is slowing, creating more negotiating room.

North Carolina market summary

The North Carolina housing market is cooling down. As of May 2026, the median home sale price is $398K, up 2.1% year-over-year. Homes are spending a median of 52 days on the market, 20.9% longer than a year ago.

There are 54,024 homes for sale — 7.2% more than last year. With 3.9 months of supply, this is a seller's market. 19,105 new listings were added during this period, down 6.3% year-over-year.

Homes are selling for 98.3% of their list price on average, suggesting room for negotiation. 18.7% of homes sell above their asking price. 29.6% of listings have had a price drop.

Market Opportunity Score

Based on current market conditions

Contributing Factors

Months of Supply– 3.9

Days on Market↑ 52

Price Drops↑ 29.6%

Sale-to-List Ratio– 98.3%

Market Temperature↑ Cool

How This Market Compares

vs. National Median

Median Price (National: $450K)↓ 11.6%

Days on Market (National: 42)↑ 23.8%

Inventory (National: 1,460,440)↓ 96.3%

Investor takeaway

The cooling market may present buying opportunities with less competition and more negotiating leverage. A significant share of sellers are cutting prices, which can signal motivated sellers and potential deals.

North Carolina market trends

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Detailed market metrics

Median list price

$427K

Price per sq ft

$214

Sale-to-list ratio

98.3%

Months of supply

3.9

Sold above list

18.7%

Price drops

29.6%

New listings

19,105

↓ 6.3% YoY

Pending sales

12,449

North Carolina housing market FAQs

What is the median home price in North Carolina?

For the latest published month, the median sale price in North Carolina is $398K. Median means half of homes sold above that price and half below — it is a useful benchmark, not a rule for every listing.

Is North Carolina a buyer's or seller's market?

With about 3.9 months of supply, conditions often favor sellers (inventory is relatively tight versus sales pace). Buyers may need to move quickly and keep offers competitive.

How long do homes stay on the market in North Carolina?

For the latest published month, the median days on market in North Carolina is 52 days — half of homes went pending faster and half slower.

Is North Carolina good for rental property investors?

Sale-market stats show how competitive buying is (speed, negotiation, inventory). They do not prove rent performance. North Carolina can still work for rentals if the numbers work on a deal-by-deal basis — use local rent comps, financing, vacancy, and expenses in the rental property calculator.

How should investors analyze a rental property in North Carolina?

Start with purchase price, financing, rent, vacancy, operating expenses, and capital repairs. Stress-test rates and rent. Will It Flow’s rental property calculator is built to translate those inputs into cash flow, DSCR, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return for North Carolina deals.

Metro markets in North Carolina

Open a metro for the same investor snapshot and trends, then run a shortlist through the DSCR calculator and cap rate calculator.

Charlotte, NC

$423K median · 53 days on market