Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Lenoir County
November 9, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In Lenoir County, 1 in 4 listings ended without selling
Over the last 12 months, 563 listings in Lenoir County ended. 432 sold and 131 did not, a 23% rate, close to the 24% the year before. Homes that sold took a median of 45 days and sold for a median of $224,185.
Summary written November 8, 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 Lenoir 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 17 days. Needed price cuts: 74 days, and sold for 91.4% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $126 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $187 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $815 + mortgage |
About $815 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 152 days — roughly $4,055 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Lenoir County rate 0.675 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
24%
134 of about 565 before closing
Those homes that later sold
64%
33% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
90.8%
vs. 97.1% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
91
vs. 33 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 30% · cash 25% · VA 19% · FHA 23%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. Homes priced right from the start sold in a median of 18 days.
- Under $300K is the toughest range, with a 25% did-not-sell rate. $300–400K came in at 17%.
- Listings that never sold got a median price cut of 2.4% and sat a median of 152 days. Waiting costs time and money.
- Contracts fell apart 1 in 4 times. The MLS doesn't record why. In general, inspection, appraisal or financing issues are the most common causes, so get the house ready before you list.
If you're buying
- Room to negotiate: 72% of sales closed below the first asking price.
- Homes that sit: listings that never sold sat a median of 152 days, so there is time to look closely.
- How others are paying: 30% conventional, 25% cash, 23% FHA and 19% VA.
Did you know?
- For a typical home, estimated carrying costs are about $815 a month before mortgage.
- While a typical home is unsold, estimated carrying costs run about $4,055 before mortgage.
- The median sold price in Lenoir County over the last 12 months was $224,185.
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Deal Killer Report: how often contracts fall apart in Lenoir County — and what it costs the seller →
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
24%
up 0.6 pts from a year ago
136 expired or canceled vs 431 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
96.0%
down 1.0 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
71%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
2.4%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
42
up 8 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
4.0%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
21%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$224K
up 1.5% from a year ago
431 homes sold
The last 24 months
29% latest month · Oct 26
24 latest month · Oct 26
94.5% latest month · Oct 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 324 | 110 | 25% | 40 | 94.9% |
| $300–400K | 81 | 16 | 17% | 46 | 98.6% |
| $400–500K | 14 | 6 | 30% | 38 | 95.5% |
| $500–750K | 9 | 2 | 18% | 86 | 96.5% |
| $750K–1M | 2 | 2 | 50% | 225 | 94.1% |
| $1M+ | 1 | 0 | 0% | 42 | 80.5% |
By town
| Town | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinston | 284 | 93 | 25% | 37 | 94.8% |
Lenoir County housing market: quick answers
How long do homes take to sell in Lenoir County?
Homes that sold in Lenoir County over the last 12 months took a median of 42 days, counted from the day they were first listed (relists included). That's up 8 days from a year ago.
What do homes in Lenoir County sell for compared to the asking price?
The median home in Lenoir County sold for 96.0% of its first asking price in the last 12 months, and 71% of the homes that sold went for less than the original price. That's down 1.0 pts from a year ago.
What percentage of homes listed in Lenoir County don't sell?
24% of homes listed in Lenoir County over the last 12 months expired or were canceled without selling — about 1 in 4 (136 didn't sell vs 431 sold). That's up 0.6 pts from a year ago. The homes that didn't sell had already cut their price a median 2.4%.
What is the median sold price in Lenoir County?
The median sold price in Lenoir County over the last 12 months was $224,370, across 431 homes sold. That's up 1.5% from a year ago.
What is my home worth in Lenoir County?
The median home in Lenoir County sold for $224,370 over the last 12 months (431 sales), up about 1.5% from $221,000 the prior 12 months. Your property's value depends on its size, condition, lot and street, and online estimates often disagree by a wide margin. Enter your address under "What's my home worth?" on the homepage to see what's for sale, under contract and sold around you, or call for a price built from the homes that actually compete with yours.
Are home prices in Lenoir County going down?
No — not at the median. Homes in Lenoir County sold for a median of $224,370 in the last 12 months, up about 1.5% from $221,000 the prior 12 months. Fewer homes sold (431 vs 459), and the median time on the market went from 34 to 42 days. Prices move differently by neighborhood and price range, so check the band your home falls in below.
Where do these Lenoir County housing market numbers come from?
Hive MLS listing and sales records for homes only (land excluded), covering the last 12 months and updated November 9, 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 November 9, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000