February 25, 2026

Contact: Kim Walker, 704-940-3149

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte region housing market opened the year with steady buyer activity, even as closed sales declined 13.7 percent to 2,230 homes sold. Pending sales, a key measure of contract activity, increased 7.3 percent year-over-year, signaling that buyers are re-engaging and positioning themselves to take advantage of stabilizing mortgage rates, which hovered just below 6 percent throughout much of January.

Month-over-month, closed sales fell 35.5 percent compared to December, reflecting a return to typical seasonal patterns following the heightened pace of recent years. Despite softer consumer confidence, now at its lowest level since 2014, contract activity strengthened, with pending sales rising 34.6 percent from December, a positive indicator for sales activity in the months ahead. 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.

Showing Activity Highlights Market Hotspots

While January showing activity declined 7.8 percent year-over-year, listings averaged 4.4 showings per property, reflecting steady buyer interest. Month-over-month, activity rose 36.1 percent, signaling renewed engagement. Matthews led the market with an average of 6 showings per listing, followed by Huntersville (5.4), Concord (5.0), Charlotte (4.7), and Waxhaw (4.6).

Home values remained resilient, with the median sales price rising 2.2 percent to $390,000 and the average sales price increasing 2.5 percent to $499,100, gains that reflect a more measured and sustainable pace of appreciation.

“Charlotte’s housing market is off to a solid start and continues to build momentum,” said Joan B. Goode, 2026 president of Canopy MLS and a Realtor®/broker with Dickens Mitchener. “With mortgage rates stabilizing just below 6 percent, prices steady, and inventory growing, buyers are re-entering the market with renewed confidence—setting the stage for a healthy spring market.”

Sellers remained confident in January, as new listings edged higher (1.1%) to 4,182 homes added to the market. Month-over-month, new listings surged 54.6 percent, pushing inventory to approximately 9,970 properties, or 2.7 months of supply. Seller pricing trends continued to normalize, with the average list price rising 2.5 percent to $511,800. While the percent of original list price received dipped slightly to 94.3 percent, sellers continue to achieve strong returns, though with more measured pricing strategies reflecting improving supply and increased buyer sensitivity.

Supply Expands, but Unevenly Across the Region

Time on market increased in January, giving buyers more time and flexibility. Days on market rose 17.5 percent to 67 days, while the list-to-close timeline increased to 114 days. Months of supply remains uneven, with more balanced conditions emerging in outlying markets like Anson (4.4), Cleveland (4.1), Stanly (4), Lincoln and Rowan (3.5) and Iredell (3.1). Core areas including Mecklenburg, Union, and Cabarrus counties and the City of Charlotte, remained tighter, with less than three months of supply.

See Jan 2026 data for 30+ communities

“Sellers remained confident, but inventory growth is uneven,” Goode added. “Outlying markets are moving closer to balance, while core areas continue to face supply constraints. As homes take longer to sell, buyers are gaining more time and leverage, yet sellers are still achieving strong pricing, reflecting a market that continues to normalize.”

Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County’s housing market showed a mixed start to the year, with new listings declining 3.7 percent to 1,455 homes, while pending sales increased 7.9 percent to 1,204, signaling continued buyer demand. Closed sales fell 12.7 percent to 786 transactions, reflecting late-2025 contract activity. Prices continued to rise, with the median sales price increasing 3.5 percent to $440,000 and the average sales price up 1.8 percent to $600,149. The average list price rose 3.4 percent to $590,915, while the percent of original list price received dipped slightly to 95.1 percent. Market conditions continued to normalize, with days on market increasing 23.1 percent to 64 days and inventory rising 12.2 percent to 2,971 homes, or 2.3 months of supply. While supply is improving, Mecklenburg County remains a competitive, seller-leaning market.

City of Charlotte
The City of Charlotte reflected a similar trend, with new listings declining 5.7 percent to 1,190 homes and pending sales increasing 6.3 percent to 964. Closed sales fell 19.7 percent to 599 transactions.  Home prices rose modestly, with the median sales price increasing 1.2 percent to $410,000 and the average sales price up 1.8 percent to $556,391. The average list price increased 4.3 percent, while the percent of original list price received declined slightly to 95.0 percent.  Inventory grew 10.4 percent to 2,407 homes, pushing months of supply to 2.4 months. Homes took longer to sell, with days on market increasing 18.9 percent to 63 days, reflecting a more balanced and seasonally typical market environment.

While Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte are both showing signs of normalization with rising inventory and longer market times, that shift is unfolding unevenly across property types. Across the region, inventory rose 14.4 percent year-over-year, with townhome supply increasing 17.5 percent and condo inventory up 5.7 percent, creating more options for buyers, particularly in attached housing. At the same time, condos now have about 3.7 months of supply and townhomes 3.2 months, both above single-family levels, and are seeing longer days on market, signaling growing buyer leverage in those segments.

Canopy Realtor^® Association provides monthly reports on residential real estate market activity for the Charlotte region based on data from Canopy MLS. The Charlotte region, which this report is based on, includes 12 counties in North Carolina (Alexander, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, and Union) and four counties in South Carolina (Chester, Chesterfield, Lancaster, and York).

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 and timely property data in a multicounty service area including the Charlotte MSA, Asheville MSA and Catawba Valley region spanning across North Carolina and South Carolina to outside the Carolinas. Canopy MLS provides the latest technology, tools and analytics that Realtors® utilize to support consumers with their residential real estate transactions.