October 22, 2026
Contact: Kim Walker, 704-940-3149

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte region housing activity slowed further in September as rising mortgage rates and persistent affordability challenges weighed on an already more cautious market. New listings, pending sales and closed sales declined from a year ago, reflecting a more pronounced slowdown as the market transitioned into fall. However, year-to-date activity remained relatively stable, with sales and contracts running only slightly below last year's pace, while growing inventory continued to provide buyers with more choices and greater negotiating flexibility. Data in this press release is sourced from Canopy MLS, a subsidiary corporation of the Canopy Realtor® Association, and reflects existing-home sales of single-family homes, condos, and townhomes only.

Buyer demand, as measured by pending contracts, declined 4.5 percent year-over-year to 3,370 homes under contract in September, a 10.4 percent decrease from August. Closed sales across the 16-county region also softened, falling 10.1 percent year-over-year to 3,439 transactions and 3.4 percent month-over-month. Despite the slower pace of activity, year-to-date figures continued to reflect relative stability, with pending sales down just 0.5 percent and closed sales 1.8 percent below the same period last year. Seller activity followed a similar pattern, with new listings declining 7.8 percent year-over-year to 4,674 homes and 5.4 percent from August. However, new listings through the first nine months of 2026 remained 1.4 percent ahead of last year's pace.

“September's slowdown reflects both seasonal market patterns and the affordability pressures that have challenged buyers throughout the year,” said Joan B. Goode, president of Canopy Realtor® Association/Canopy MLS and a Realtor®/broker with Dickens Mitchener. “Housing activity typically moderates as summer ends, but rising mortgage rates and higher living costs have added another layer of caution. It's important to keep these monthly declines in perspective. Through the first nine months of 2026, sales and contract activity remain close to last year's levels, while home prices have remained largely stable. We're seeing a market adjusting to seasonal and economic realities, rather than a fundamental shift in housing demand.”

Showing Activity Slows, but Buyer Interest Persists in Key Communities
Showing activity across the Charlotte metropolitan statistical area (MSA), a key indicator of buyer interest and in-person market activity, declined further in September, with total showings falling 14.1 percent year-over-year and 15.3 percent from August. Listings across the MSA averaged 3.3 showings per property, down 13.2 percent from last September and 10.1 percent month-over-month. Despite the broader slowdown, buyer interest remained relatively strong in several communities, led by Matthews, where listings averaged 4.5 showings per property, followed by Kannapolis (4.2), Concord (3.8), and Monroe and Waxhaw (3.6 each).

Home prices across the Charlotte region moderated in September, although year-to-date figures continued to reflect relative stability. The median sales price declined 0.5 percent year-over-year to $392,990, down 4.1 percent from August's median of $410,000. However, the year-to-date median remained at $400,000, essentially unchanged from the same period last year. The average sales price increased 1.7 percent year-over-year to $512,541, but declined 3.3 percent from August. Meanwhile, the average list price rose 4.0 percent year-over-year to $557,134, while sellers received 95.1 percent of their original asking price, unchanged from September 2025. Overall, the data suggest that while prices have adjusted modestly as the market transitions into fall, home values across the region have remained relatively stable through the first nine months of 2026.

Attached Housing Continues to Offer Buyers More Choice and Lower Price Points
Single-family homes continued to anchor the Charlotte region's housing market in September, with the median sales price increasing 2.4 percent year-over-year to $420,000. Attached housing continued to offer buyers more affordable price points, with the median townhome price declining 1.6 percent to $349,430 and the median condo price falling 2.7 percent to $292,000. Inventory growth remained strongest among attached properties, with townhome inventory rising 14.8 percent and condo inventory increasing 14.2 percent from a year ago, compared with 3.5 percent growth for single-family homes. As a result, buyers considering attached housing continued to benefit from greater choice, with months of supply reaching 4.5 months for townhomes and 6.2 months for condos, compared with 3.6 months for single-family homes.

Goode continued, “With fewer buyers touring homes and more options available, competitive pricing and presentation are especially important for sellers. For buyers who are financially prepared, relatively stable prices and growing inventory, particularly among townhomes and condos, create opportunities to explore different price points, evaluate their options, and potentially negotiate favorable terms. Success for both buyers and sellers increasingly depends on understanding local market conditions and making informed decisions.”

Marketing times across the Charlotte region remained relatively stable in September compared with a year ago, although homes continued to spend more time on the market when measured year-to-date. List to Close, which measures the total time from listing date to closing date, increased 1.0 percent to 101 days, compared with 100 days last September. Days on Market, which measures the time a property spends on the market before an offer is accepted, was unchanged at 54 days. However, through the first nine months of 2026, List to Close averaged 100 days, up 6.4 percent from a year ago, while Days on Market increased 12.2 percent to 55 days. Marketing times remained fairly consistent across price points, ranging from 54 days for homes priced above $500,000 to 56 days for homes priced between $200,001 and $300,000. Overall, the longer year-to-date marketing window reflects a more measured housing market, where buyers have greater flexibility to evaluate their options and sellers must remain attentive to pricing and market conditions.

See September 2026 data for 30+ communities

Mecklenburg County's housing market experienced a more pronounced slowdown in September, with closed sales declining 15.6 percent year-over-year to 1,129 homes, while pending sales fell 12.4 percent to 1,077 contracts. New listings also declined 5.0 percent to 1,662 properties, although year-to-date seller activity remained ahead of last year, with new listings up 2.9 percent through September. Despite fewer homes coming onto the market during the month, inventory continued to expand, rising 12.6 percent year-over-year to 4,622 homes for sale, while months of supply increased from 3.2 months last September to 3.7 months.

Home prices remained relatively stable in September, with the median sales price unchanged from a year ago at $450,000, while the average sales price increased 3.4 percent to $616,046. The average list price rose 7.0 percent to $690,632. As inventory expanded, homes took longer to sell, averaging 51 days on market compared with 47 days last September, an 8.5 percent increase. Sellers received 95.5 percent of their original asking price, down from 96.1 percent a year ago. Despite longer marketing times, Mecklenburg County homes continued to sell slightly faster than those across the broader Charlotte region, where properties averaged 54 days on market in September, reflecting continued differences in market conditions between the county and the surrounding region.

Goode added, “Mecklenburg County is experiencing a sharper slowdown in sales than the broader region, but home prices have remained relatively stable despite growing inventory. Buyers have more choices and are taking longer to make decisions, creating greater competition among sellers. It's a different market than we've seen in recent years, one that requires realistic pricing and informed decisions, but opportunities remain for both buyers and sellers.”

The City of Charlotte housing market experienced a more pronounced slowdown in September, with closed sales declining 16.2 percent year-over-year to 875 homes, while pending sales fell 9.7 percent to 860 contracts. New listings declined 2.2 percent to 1,364 properties, although year-to-date seller activity remained ahead of last year, with new listings up 4.7 percent through September. Inventory continued to expand, rising 15.5 percent year-over-year to 3,827 homes for sale, while months of supply increased from 3.2 months last September to 3.8 months. The continued growth in available homes is providing buyers with greater choice and negotiating flexibility, even as sales activity slowed.

Despite the increase in supply and slower sales activity, home prices remained relatively stable. The median sales price increased 0.5 percent year-over-year to $420,000, while the year-to-date median stood at $430,000, up 1.2 percent. The average sales price rose 8.3 percent to $599,001. Sellers received 95.5 percent of their original asking price, compared with 96.1 percent a year ago, while homes averaged 49 days on market, up from 46 days last September. Even with substantially more inventory and longer marketing times, homes in the city continued to sell faster than across the broader Charlotte region, where properties averaged 54 days on market in September.

Rental affordability also remains part of the region’s broader housing equation. In September, Canopy MLS rental data showed the average monthly lease price declined 0.4 percent year-over-year to $2,091, while active rental inventory fell 16.2 percent to 2,009 units. Rental activity also slowed, with the number of properties leased declining 17.0 percent from last September to 738 properties. Meanwhile, the average monthly lease price through the first nine months of 2026 remained relatively stable at $2,106, up just 0.3 percent from the same period last year. Although rents have shown little movement, the decline in available rental properties underscores the continuing challenges facing households navigating the region's housing market, where affordability remains an important consideration for both renters and prospective homebuyers.

For more residential-housing market statistics, visit www.CarolinaHome.com and click on “Market Data.” For an interview with 2026 Association/Canopy MLS President Joan B. Goode, Realtor®/Broker with Dickens Mitchener, please contact Kim Walker.

Canopy Realtor® Association owns and operates Canopy MLS, the region’s primary source for accurate, timely property data across a multi-county service area spanning North Carolina and South Carolina, including the Charlotte, Asheville, and Hickory-Lenoir MSAs. With more than 21,000 subscribers, Canopy MLS delivers comprehensive property data and innovative tools that support residential real estate transactions, from buying and selling to investing and renting.