October 23, 2026
Contact: Kim Walker, 704-940-3149

Residential Sales Trends in York, Lancaster, Chester and  Chesterfield Counties 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Canopy MLS reports on residential sales trends in the counties contiguous to Mecklenburg County, which include York, Lancaster, Chester, and Chesterfield, South Carolina. Data included in this report is for single-family, condo, and townhome property types only, for the geographies mentioned above. 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.

Housing activity across the four-county South Carolina region continued to slow down in September as the market transitioned into fall. Despite softer sales activity and a decline in September's median sales price, longer-term pricing trends remained relatively stable, while sellers continued to receive an average of 98.1 percent of their most recent asking price.

Closed sales totaled 554 in September, declining 6.4 percent year-over-year but flat from August. Despite this, year-to-date closed sales remained essentially unchanged from 2025, totaling 5,111 transactions, up 0.1 percent. Pending sales fell 13.2 percent from September 2025 and 19.7 percent from August to 474 contracts. This was the 3^rd consecutive annual dip for the micro-region. Separately, Lancaster and Chesterfield counties were flat year-over-year, while Chester and York experienced declines in pending sales. New listings also declined for the 3^rd consecutive time this year by 15.1 percent and 11.3 percent from August to 685 properties.

“Currently, buyers have more choices and more time to evaluate their options, while sellers who price their homes appropriately are still achieving strong results. This is a market where understanding local conditions and setting realistic expectations are especially important,” said Angela Harris, 2026 president of the Piedmont Regional Association of Realtors® and a Realtor®/broker with Address Realty.

The median sales price declined 2.6 percent year-over-year and 10.6 percent from August to $379,995, while the average sales price fell 4.7 percent annually and 6.3 percent month over month to $445,751. However, the year-to-date median sales price remained 0.8 percent above last year's level at $403,292, and the rolling 12-month median reached $400,000, up 1.3 percent from the previous 12-month period. Sellers received 98.1 percent of their most recent list price on average, unchanged from both August and September 2025, indicating that appropriately priced homes continue to attract buyers despite slower sales activity.

Inventory remained elevated compared with a year ago, with 2,174 homes available for sale at the end of September, an increase of 6.8 percent from September 2025. Although inventory declined 2.2 percent from August, months' supply increased 5.4 percent year-over-year to 3.9 months. Inventory trends varied across the region, with Lancaster County experiencing a 17.2 percent year-over-year increase to 634 homes, while Chester County's inventory declined 12.7 percent to 151 homes. Lancaster was also the only county to record an annual increase in new listings, rising 11.2 percent to 209 properties. Homes across the four-county region took longer to sell, averaging 62 days on market, up 12.7 percent from September 2025 and 14.8 percent from August. The combination of increased supply and longer marketing times continues to create opportunities for buyers while reinforcing the importance of competitive pricing and effective marketing for sellers.

New construction continued to play an important role in the region's housing supply during September, accounting for 508 of the 2,174 homes available for sale, or 23 percent of total inventory. Newly built homes also represented 145 of the month's 685 new listings, or 21 percent, and 129 of the 554 closed sales, or 23 percent. Additionally, 138 pending sales involved new-construction properties. With inventory remaining above year-ago levels and buyers taking longer to make purchasing decisions, new construction continues to provide additional options for prospective homebuyers throughout the region. These figures represent new builds listed on the Canopy MLS; not all new construction properties are listed.

Harris continued, “While affordability improved slightly in September, it remains a challenge for many prospective buyers. That makes planning ahead especially important, whether planning to purchase the first home, move up, or preparing to sell. The final months of the year offer an opportunity for homeowners and prospective buyers to evaluate their plans for 2027. Working with a Realtor® can help them understand their options and make informed decisions. Real estate decisions don't have to begin when someone is ready to move. Often, the most valuable conversations happen months before a transaction.”

Affordability remains a significant consideration for prospective buyers, although September brought some improvement from the previous month. The region's Housing Affordability Index increased to 92 from 85 in August, reflecting improved purchasing affordability as the median sales price declined. However, the index remained below September 2025's reading of 95, and the year-to-date index of 87 was 6.5 percent lower than the same period last year. An index below 100 indicates that the median household income is less than the income necessary to qualify for the median-priced home under prevailing financing assumptions.

A closer look at the four South Carolina counties 

York County recorded 415 new listings in September, down 19.6 percent year-over-year, while pending sales declined 13.6 percent to 312 contracts. Closed sales decreased 10.0 percent to 352 transactions. The median sales price declined 6.2 percent to $391,995, while the average sales price fell 5.1 percent to $474,812. Sellers received 95.1 percent of their original list price on average, and homes averaged 57 days on market until sale, unchanged from a year ago. The average list price increased 8.3 percent to $490,757. Inventory rose 1.7 percent to 1,264 homes, while months' supply increased to 3.5 months.

Lancaster County recorded 209 new listings in September, an increase of 11.2 percent year-over-year, while pending sales remained unchanged at 131 contracts and closed sales declined 4.1 percent to 139 transactions. The median sales price decreased 6.5 percent to $392,500, while the average sales price fell 5.8 percent to $427,961. Sellers received 94.1 percent of their original list price on average, and homes averaged 65 days on market until sale, an increase of 20.4 percent from last September. The average list price increased 12.4 percent to $489,681. Inventory grew 17.2 percent to 634 homes, while months' supply increased to 4.3 months.

Chester County recorded 38 new listings in September, down 47.9 percent year-over-year, while pending sales declined 16.7 percent to 35 contracts and closed sales decreased 2.6 percent to 38 transactions. The median sales price declined 10.2 percent to $268,450, while the average sales price increased 13.2 percent to $315,088. Sellers received 90.5 percent of their original list price on average, and homes averaged 77 days on market until sale, an increase of 63.8 percent from September 2025. The average list price increased 41.3 percent to $404,926. Inventory declined 12.7 percent to 151 homes, while months' supply decreased to 4.4 months.

Chesterfield County recorded 22 new listings in September, down 26.7 percent year-over-year, while pending sales were unchanged at 12 contracts. Closed sales declined 17.6 percent to 14 transactions. The median sales price increased 8.5 percent to $314,733, while the average sales price rose 28.7 percent to $347,084. Sellers received 100.8 percent of their original list price on average, and homes averaged 79 days on market until sale. The average list price increased 6.8 percent to $326,800. Inventory rose 7.3 percent to 88 homes, while months' supply increased to 6.4 months. Because of the county's relatively small number of monthly transactions, percentage changes can vary significantly from month to month.

Canopy Realtor^® Association provides monthly reports on residential real estate market activity for the Charlotte region based on data from Canopy MLS. This report is based on the four South Carolina counties that are also included in the Charlotte region (Chester, Chesterfield, Lancaster, and York Counties).  For more details, visit the monthly report this release is based on, and search for “Piedmont Regional Association of Realtors®". 

See also Charlotte region reports and individual county reports for York, Lancaster, Chester, and Chesterfield.  For more residential housing market statistics, visit www.CarolinaHome.com and click on “Market Data.” For an interview with Angela Harris, 2026 president of Piedmont Regional Assoc. of Realtors® and Realtor®/Broker with Address Realty, please contact Kim Walker.

Canopy Realtor® Association owns and operates Canopy MLS, the region’s primary source for accurate and timely property data in a multicounty service area including the Charlotte MSA, Asheville MSA, and Hickory-Lenoir MSA spanning across North Carolina and South Carolina to outside the Carolinas. Canopy MLS provides the latest technology, tools, and analytics that real estate licensees utilize to support consumers with their residential real estate transactions.