August 28, 2026
Contact: Kim Walker, 704-940-3149

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Canopy MLS housing data for July showed continued stability across the Charlotte region, with both buyer and sales activity remaining closely aligned with levels seen a year ago. Buyers wrote contracts on 3,963 homes during the month, pushing pending sales up 2.1 percent year-over-year, though contract activity declined 5.7 percent from June as buyers navigated mortgage rates that climbed into the upper-6-percent range during July. Closed sales followed a similar pattern, rising 1.6 percent year-over-year as 4,142 homes sold, while declining 4.7 percent month-over-month. With contract activity holding near last year’s levels but easing from June, sales could moderate in the coming months, particularly if elevated borrowing costs continue to pressure affordability. 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.

Seller activity, as measured by new listings, remained steady in July, rising 1.1 percent year-over-year as 5,532 homes came to market. Compared to June, new listings declined 2.7 percent. Even with the monthly decline in new listings, inventory continued to build, rising 6.9 percent year-over-year to 13,600 homes for sale and pushing months of supply to 3.7 months, up 5.7 percent from a year ago. While the region remains below the level generally associated with a balanced market, growing inventory continues to give buyers more choice and negotiating room while gradually moving the market toward greater balance.

“Charlotte’s housing market remains remarkably stable, even as higher mortgage rates continue to challenge affordability,” said Joan B. Goode, president of Canopy Realtor® Association/Canopy MLS and a Realtor®/broker with Dickens Mitchener. “Buyers have largely adjusted to rates in the 6-percent range, but when rates moved into the upper-6s in July, purchasing power tightened even further. Home prices may be relatively stable, but that doesn’t mean the cost of homeownership is. When borrowing costs rise, buyers are paying more each month for essentially the same-priced home, and that remains one of the biggest challenges in today’s market.”

Showing Activity Highlights Market Hotspots
Showing activity across the Charlotte metropolitan statistical area (MSA), a key indicator of buyer interest and in-person market activity, softened in July, with total showings declining 1.0 percent year-over-year and 4.3 percent from June. Listings across the MSA averaged 3.8 showings per property, down 2.6 percent from last year and 2.1 percent month-over-month. Buyer interest remained strongest in Matthews, where listings averaged 5.2 showings per listing, followed by Waxhaw (4.8), Kannapolis (4.5), and Union County (4.5).

Home prices were mixed in July, with the median sales price rising 1.1 percent year-over-year to $410,000, while the average sales price increased 7 percent to $545,079. The average list price rose 8.3 percent to $546,191, while sellers received 96 percent of their original asking price, essentially unchanged from a year ago. Overall, prices continue to hold relatively firm even as inventory grows and homes take longer to sell. At the same time, increased supply is giving buyers more choice and greater opportunity to negotiate on price, concessions, or other terms of the transaction.

Attached Housing Continues to Expand Affordability and Buyer Choice
Single-family homes continued to anchor the Charlotte region’s housing market in July, with the median sales price increasing 2.4 percent year over year to $420,000, reflecting continued price strength for detached homes. Attached housing, however, continued to offer buyers more affordable price points. The median townhome sales price declined 1.4 percent to $349,990, while condo prices fell 5.2 percent to $292,000. Inventory growth also continued to favor attached housing, with townhome inventory increasing 19.0 percent and condo inventory rising 26.5 percent from one year ago, compared with just 3.6 percent growth for single-family homes. As a result, buyers shopping for attached homes continued to benefit from expanding choices, with months of supply increasing to 4.4 months for townhomes and 6.1 months for condos, compared with 3.5 months for single-family homes.

Goode continued, “For buyers who have been waiting for more opportunity, the combination of more inventory and a slower market is creating an opening for them to be more strategic. Growing inventory and softer prices among townhomes and condos are creating more attainable options, while longer marketing times are giving buyers more time to compare properties and negotiate. This is where working with a Realtor® becomes especially valuable, because buyers can be more strategic about not only the price they pay, but the terms of the offer and how those decisions fit within their overall housing budget.”

Homes were on market longer in July, taking longer to move from listing to closing. List to Close, which measures the total time from listing date to closing date, increased 9.9 percent to 100 days, up from 91 days a year ago. Days on Market, which measures the time a property spends on the market before an offer is accepted, rose 19.6 percent to 55 days, compared to 46 days last year. Marketing times were relatively consistent across price points, ranging from 54 days for homes priced at $200,000 and below to 56 days for homes priced between $400,001 and $500,000. The longer marketing window reflects a more measured market, where increased inventory and greater choice are giving buyers more time to evaluate their options before making an offer.

See July 2026 data for 30+ communities

Mecklenburg County’s housing market remained steady in July, as closed sales increased 3.4 percent year-over-year, with 1,470 homes sold during the month. Pending sales were essentially unchanged from last year, declining just 0.3 percent to 1,322 contracts, while sellers continued to add supply to the market, with new listings increasing 7.4 percent to 1,911 properties. Inventory expanded 13.1 percent year-over-year to 4,593 homes for sale, pushing months of supply from 3.2 months last July to 3.6 months. The continued build-up in available homes is providing buyers with greater choice, even as sales activity remains relatively stable.

Home prices continued to appreciate modestly in July, with the median sales price rising 2.0 percent year-over-year to $468,500, while the average sales price increased 9.4 percent to $658,489. The average list price also rose 6.7 percent to $619,327. As inventory expanded, homes took slightly longer to sell, averaging 40 days on market compared to 38 days last year, while sellers received 96.5 percent of their original list price, down slightly from 96.8 percent. Despite the increase in supply, Mecklenburg County homes continued to sell faster than those across the broader Charlotte region, where homes averaged 55 days on market in July, underscoring the county’s continued competitiveness within the regional market.

Goode added, “Affordability really depends on where and what you’re looking to buy. In July, the median sales price was $468,500 in Mecklenburg County and $430,000 in the City of Charlotte, compared with $410,000 across the larger Charlotte region. For buyers willing to broaden their search geographically or consider different property types, there may be opportunities to find a price point that better fits their budget. Asking your Realtor® about Down Payment Resource (DPR) may also uncover assistance programs that can significantly reduce the upfront costs. For sellers, today’s increased competition means pricing the home correctly from the start is more important than ever.”

The City of Charlotte housing market remained steady in July, with closed sales increasing 2.4 percent year-over-year to 1,170 homes, while pending sales were nearly unchanged, rising just 0.7 percent to 1,041 contracts. Sellers continued to bring more homes to market, with new listings increasing 8.5 percent to 1,540 properties. Inventory expanded 15.8 percent year-over-year to 3,754 homes for sale, pushing months of supply from 3.2 months last July to 3.7 months, providing buyers with considerably more choice than a year ago.

As supply increased, home prices showed some moderation. The median sales price declined 2.3 percent year-over-year to $430,000, although the year-to-date median remained slightly higher, up 0.7 percent at $430,000. The average sales price rose 8.1 percent to $629,472, reflecting continued activity at higher price points. Sellers received 96.5 percent of their original list price, compared with 96.9 percent last July, while homes averaged 40 days on market, up from 38 days a year ago. Despite longer marketing times and substantially more inventory, homes in the city continued to sell faster than across the broader Charlotte region, where homes averaged 55 days on market in July.

Rental affordability also remains part of the region’s broader housing equation. In July, Canopy MLS rental data showed the average monthly lease price rose 2.8 percent year-over-year to $2,174, while active rental inventory declined 11.8 percent. With the cost of both renting and homeownership remaining elevated, affordability pressures continue to affect households across the housing spectrum, whether renting or buying.

Canopy Realtor^® Association provides monthly reports on residential real estate market activity for the Charlotte region, representing 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, 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.