Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Carteret County
October 24, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
Carteret County: 1 in 4 listings didn't sell in 12 months
Over the last 12 months, 1 in 4 listings in Carteret County ended without a sale: 596 of 2,098 listings that ended did not sell, up from 25% the year before. The 1,502 homes that did sell had a median sale price of $475,500 and took a typical 49 days.
Summary written October 25, 2026 from that day's numbers. The figures in the tiles update every hour, so they can differ slightly.
Which pile do you want to be in?
Out of every 20 homes listed in Carteret County over the last 12 months, the solid houses sold. The outlined ones expired or were canceled.
Priced right from day one: sold in a median 13 days. Needed price cuts: 84 days, and sold for 92.1% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $89 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $396 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $987 + mortgage |
About $987 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 169 days — roughly $5,483 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Carteret County rate 0.225 per $100 (NC Department of Revenue, 2025-26 county rates); town taxes add more inside town limits; insurance, upkeep (1% of value a year) and utilities are typical estimates.
When contracts fall apart
Contracts that fell apart
18%
333 of about 1,839 before closing
Those homes that later sold
61%
36% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
92.3%
vs. 96.1% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
118
vs. 42 on the first contract
The MLS doesn't record why a contract ends. In our experience the most common reasons are home inspection findings, appraisals that come in below the price, and buyer financing. How buyers paid on closed sales: conventional 48% · cash 34% · VA 10% · FHA 4%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. Listings priced right from the start sold in a typical 13 days (612 homes).
- Plan on a cut if you start high. 889 listings needed price cuts, which took a typical 84 days, and those sold at a median 92.1% of asking.
- Know the hard price range. $750K–1M was the toughest band, with 39% of listings not selling.
- Prepare for contracts to fall apart. 18% of contracts fell through, 1 in 6. That is most often inspection, appraisal or financing issues, based on general industry experience. Get ahead of those before you accept an offer.
If you're buying
- There is room to negotiate. 76% of homes sold below their first asking price, and the median sold price was 95.8% of first ask.
- The $750K–1M range is where sellers have the most to prove. 39% of listings there didn't sell.
- Buyers are paying in a mix of ways. 48% used conventional loans, 34% paid cash, 10% used VA and 4% used FHA.
Did you know?
- Homes that sold after a contract fell through did so at a median 92.3% of asking, and 36% of those listings never sold.
- Listings that never sold had been on the market a median 169 days and got a median price cut of 2.3%.
- For a typical home at $475,500, the estimated carrying cost is about $987 a month before mortgage.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
28%
up 3.8 pts from a year ago
596 expired or canceled vs 1,502 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
95.8%
down 0.6 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
76%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
2.3%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
49
up 8 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
4.2%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
20%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$476K
up 5.8% from a year ago
1,502 homes sold
The last 24 months
34% latest month · Sep 26
64 latest month · Sep 26
95.0% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 233 | 87 | 27% | 35 | 96.0% |
| $300–400K | 272 | 88 | 24% | 37 | 96.3% |
| $400–500K | 253 | 69 | 21% | 46 | 96.5% |
| $500–750K | 371 | 137 | 27% | 58 | 96.5% |
| $750K–1M | 149 | 96 | 39% | 81 | 95.1% |
| $1M+ | 224 | 119 | 35% | 51 | 93.7% |
By town
| Town | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort | 288 | 102 | 26% | 61 | 96.5% |
| Newport | 260 | 85 | 25% | 38 | 97.2% |
| Emerald Isle | 198 | 123 | 38% | 63 | 94.6% |
| Morehead City | 249 | 65 | 21% | 28 | 95.2% |
| Atlantic Beach | 123 | 68 | 36% | 47 | 95.0% |
| Pine Knoll Shores | 73 | 22 | 23% | 55 | 94.8% |
| Cedar Point | 53 | 26 | 33% | 64 | 93.7% |
| Indian Beach | 41 | 29 | 41% | 88 | 95.2% |
Carteret County housing market: quick answers
How long do homes take to sell in Carteret County?
Homes that sold in Carteret County over the last 12 months took a median of 49 days, counted from the day they were first listed (relists included). That's up 8 days from a year ago.
What do homes in Carteret County sell for compared to the asking price?
The median home in Carteret County sold for 95.8% of its first asking price in the last 12 months, and 76% of the homes that sold went for less than the original price. That's down 0.6 pts from a year ago.
What percentage of homes listed in Carteret County don't sell?
28% of homes listed in Carteret County over the last 12 months expired or were canceled without selling — about 1 in 4 (596 didn't sell vs 1,502 sold). That's up 3.8 pts from a year ago. The homes that didn't sell had already cut their price a median 2.3%.
What is the median sold price in Carteret County?
The median sold price in Carteret County over the last 12 months was $475,500, across 1,502 homes sold. That's up 5.8% from a year ago.
Where do these Carteret County housing market numbers come from?
Hive MLS listing and sales records for homes only (land excluded), covering the last 12 months and updated October 24, 2026. The figures refresh from the MLS every hour; "didn't sell" counts only expired and canceled listings. Compiled by Buddy Blake Team, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage.
Homes only (land excluded), last 12 months unless noted. "Didn't sell" = listings that expired or were canceled — withdrawn and on-hold listings are not counted (some owners stop for reasons that have nothing to do with the market); true days on market counts from the first listing, even when a home was relisted. Source: Hive MLS listing and sales records, updated October 24, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000