September 29, 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 micro region cooled in August following a strong July, but rising home prices and an increase in pending sales showed buyers remained engaged as the market transitioned toward a more typical late-summer pace. Closed sales totaled 547 in August, declining 13.3 percent year over year and 23.5 percent from July, when closings reached their highest monthly level of 2026. Despite the August pullback, year-to-date closed sales remained 0.7 percent ahead of the same period last year.

Activity earlier in the sales cycle moved in the opposite direction, with pending sales increasing 1.8 percent year-over-year and 7.4 percent from July to 627 contracts. New listings totaled 769, down just 0.6 percent from last August and 11.8 percent from July. New listings have declined year over year during four months so far in 2026. New construction remained an important part of the market, accounting for 169 new listings and 138 pending sales in August, representing 22 percent of each category.

“August shows why it’s important to look beyond a single measure when evaluating the housing market,” said Angela Harris, 2026 President of the Piedmont Regional Association of Realtors® and a Realtor®/broker with Address Realty. “Closings slowed following a strong July, but pending sales increased from both last month and last year, while prices continued to hold steady. Buyers are still engaged, and the additional choices available today are giving consumers more room to make thoughtful decisions.”

Home prices remained firm despite the slowdown in closings. The median sales price increased 5.0 percent year-over-year and 2.4 percent from July to $425,000. The average sales price rose 1.2 percent from last August to $476,611 and was nearly unchanged month over month, declining just 0.2 percent. Sellers received 98.1 percent of list price on average, down 0.2 percent year-over-year and 0.6 percent from July.

Inventory pulled back from July as the summer selling season wound down. Active inventory totaled 2,153 homes at the end of August, up 8.9 percent year over year but down 5.6 percent month over month. Only Chester County experienced a dip year-over-year in inventory. Months' supply followed a similar pattern, rising 5.6 percent from last August to 3.8 months while declining 7.3 percent from July. New construction accounted for 478 active listings, or 22 percent of total inventory.

Newly built homes also represented 123 of August's closed sales, or 22 percent of all closings. The consistency of that share across inventory, new listings, pending sales, and closed sales highlights the role new construction continues to play in expanding housing options across the four-county region just south of Charlotte, NC.

Homes took somewhat longer to sell in August, averaging 54 days on market, up 5.9 percent from both last August and July. The combination of higher inventory than a year ago and longer market times continues to give buyers more opportunity to compare properties, while reinforcing the importance for sellers of pricing and positioning their homes appropriately for current conditions.

Affordability remained a significant consideration for buyers even as housing choices improved. The region's Housing Affordability Index declined to 85 in August from 90 a year ago and 87 in July. With the regional median sales price reaching $425,000, higher home prices continue to create affordability challenges for some prospective buyers despite increased inventory.

Harris continued, “More inventory is important, but having more homes to choose from doesn't necessarily mean every home is affordable for every buyer. That's where working with a Realtor® can make a meaningful difference. Realtors® can help buyers understand local market conditions, evaluate financing and down payment assistance options, and identify resources that may help bridge the gap between what a buyer has saved and what they need to purchase a home.”

For buyers who may be struggling with the upfront costs of homeownership, the purchase price tells only part of the affordability story. Canopy MLS' Down Payment Resource program helps Realtors® connect eligible properties and buyers with available homeownership assistance programs, including grants, forgivable loans, and other forms of financial assistance. More than 80 percent of active listings across the region may qualify for one or more programs, giving buyers another avenue to explore when determining what they can realistically afford. Assistance is not limited to first-time homebuyers, making it important for consumers to understand the programs that may be available before assuming homeownership is out of reach.

A closer look at the four South Carolina counties 

York County New listings declined 9.8 percent year over year to 459 properties, while pending sales decreased 3.1 percent to 406 contracts and closed sales declined 9.7 percent to 363 transactions. The median sales price increased 5.0 percent to $420,000, while the average sales price declined 1.4 percent to $480,116. Sellers received 95.3 percent of their original list price on average, and homes averaged 48 days on market until sale. The average list price rose 8.4 percent to $501,881. Inventory increased 6.3 percent to 1,287 homes, while months' supply increased to 3.5 months.

Lancaster County New listings increased 15.8 percent year over year to 234 properties, while pending sales rose 10.1 percent to 163 contracts. Closed sales declined 22.0 percent to 142 transactions. The median sales price increased 3.6 percent to $481,700, while the average sales price rose 5.2 percent to $512,361. Sellers received 95.1 percent of their original list price, and homes averaged 74 days on market until sale. The average list price declined 6.7 percent to $445,394. Inventory increased 16.0 percent to 622 homes, while months' supply increased to 4.2 months.

Chester County recorded increased new listing and pending activity in August, with 57 new listings, up 26.7 percent from a year ago, and 51 pending sales, up 34.2 percent. Closed sales declined 21.6 percent to 29 transactions. The median sales price increased 3.4 percent to $305,000, while the average sales price rose 25.3 percent to $347,394. Sellers received 95.7 percent of their original list price, and homes averaged 26 days on market until sale. The average list price increased 16.4 percent to $329,113. Inventory declined 8.0 percent to 149 homes, while months' supply decreased 17.6 percent to 4.2 months.

Chesterfield County recorded 19 new listings in August, up 5.6 percent from a year ago, while pending sales declined 18.2 percent to nine contracts. Closed sales were unchanged at 10 transactions. The median sales price declined 1.5 percent to $261,000, while the average sales price declined 4.2 percent to $240,550. Sellers received 100.0 percent of their original list price, and homes averaged 40 days on market until sale. The average list price declined 23.4 percent to $255,474. Inventory increased 20.8 percent to 87 homes, while months' supply increased 14.5 percent to 6.3 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.