Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: New Bern
October 19, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In New Bern, 1 in 5 homes that listed didn't sell
Over the last 12 months, 1,735 New Bern listings ended. 1,418 sold and 317 didn't sell, which is 18%, up from 15% the year before. The typical home that sold took 38 days and went for 98.6% of its first asking price, at a median sold price of $332,000.
Summary written October 17, 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 New Bern over the last 12 months, the solid houses sold. The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.
Priced right from day one: sold in a median 22 days. Needed price cuts: 83 days, and sold for 92.9% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $123 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $277 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $901 + mortgage |
About $901 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 122 days — roughly $3,617 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Craven County rate 0.4448 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%
313 of about 1,732 before closing
Those homes that later sold
72%
26% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
95.3%
vs. 99.0% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
94
vs. 31 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 32% · cash 22% · VA 37% · FHA 9%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 909 homes priced right sold in a median of 22 days. The 509 that needed price cuts took 83 days and sold at a median 92.9% of asking.
- Watch your price range. In New Bern, $750K–1M had the highest rate of homes that didn't sell at 35%. $300–400K had the lowest at 15%.
- Waiting costs money. Listings that never sold sat a median of 122 days, and the median price cut on them was only 1.7%. For a typical home at $332,000, carrying costs are estimated at about $901 a month before mortgage.
- Contracts fall apart about 1 in 6 times here, or 18%. The MLS doesn't record why, but most often it's inspection, appraisal or financing issues. Get ahead of those before you list. A first contract sold at 99.0% of asking in 31 days. After a fall-through, homes sold at 95.4% and took 94 days.
If you're buying
- You have room to negotiate. 60% of New Bern homes sold below their first asking price, and the typical sale came in at 98.6%.
- Homes that sit give you leverage. Listings that never sold sat a median of 122 days, and homes that needed price cuts took 83 days.
- See how others are paying. VA buyers were 37%, conventional 32%, cash 22% and FHA 9%. Know where your financing stands before you make an offer.
Did you know?
- Did you know? When a New Bern contract fell apart, 72% of those homes later sold, but 26% never did.
- Did you know? A home that sold after a contract fell apart took a median of 94 days, versus 31 days for a first contract that held.
- Did you know? The typical New Bern home that was priced right sold in 22 days. Homes that needed cuts took 83 days.
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Thinking of selling in New Bern? What it takes and what it costs →
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
18%
up 3.1 pts from a year ago
318 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 1,419 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
98.6%
about the same as a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
60%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
1.7%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
38
up 5 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
1.4%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
22%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$332K
up 3.4% from a year ago
1,419 homes sold
The last 24 months
22% latest month · Sep 26
29 latest month · Sep 26
98.0% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 457 | 80 | 15% | 24 | 97.8% |
| $300–400K | 611 | 105 | 15% | 49 | 99.7% |
| $400–500K | 197 | 64 | 25% | 49 | 98.8% |
| $500–750K | 115 | 46 | 29% | 38 | 97.3% |
| $750K–1M | 24 | 14 | 37% | 91 | 96.4% |
| $1M+ | 15 | 9 | 38% | 101 | 90.9% |
Neighborhoods in New Bern
| Neighborhood | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield Harbour | 139 | 75 | 35% | 72 | 96.9% |
| Bluewater Rise | 110 | 9 | 8% | 78 | 100.0% |
| River Bend | 71 | 22 | 24% | 39 | 97.2% |
| Tyler, Home on the Lake | 71 | 5 | 7% | 43 | 100.0% |
| Madeline Farm | 66 | 5 | 7% | 46 | 100.0% |
| Carolina Colours | 55 | 12 | 18% | 76 | 98.5% |
| West New Bern | 57 | 8 | 12% | 56 | 100.0% |
| New Bern Downtown Historic | 35 | 19 | 35% | 20 | 98.5% |
| Carolina Pines | 38 | 8 | 17% | 15 | 98.8% |
| Taberna | 34 | 7 | 17% | 36 | 97.2% |
Homes only (land excluded), last 12 months unless noted. "Didn't sell" = listings that expired, were withdrawn or were canceled (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 19, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000