Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Ocean Isle Beach
October 21, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In Ocean Isle Beach, 1 in 4 listings ended without a sale
Over the last 12 months, 839 Ocean Isle Beach listings ended, and 223 of them didn't sell. That's 27%, up from 24% the year before. The ones that sold took a typical 47 days and went for a median of 94.0% of the first asking price.
Summary written October 14, 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 Ocean Isle Beach 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 18 days. Needed price cuts: 73 days, and sold for 91.2% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $121 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $354 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $976 + mortgage |
About $976 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 160 days — roughly $5,129 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Brunswick County rate 0.342 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
17%
130 of about 754 before closing
Those homes that later sold
49%
49% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
91.0%
vs. 94.4% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
99
vs. 44 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 56% · cash 38% · VA 2% · FHA 3%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 188 homes that did sold in a typical 16 days. The 428 that needed price cuts took 73 days and sold at 91.1% of asking.
- Waiting costs money. For a typical $425,000 home, carrying costs run an estimated $976 a month before mortgage. Estimated carrying costs while a home sat unsold came to about $5,129.
- The $1M+ range struggles most, with 33% not selling. Under $300K has the lowest rate at 20%.
- About 1 in 6 contracts fell apart (17%). Most often that's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, so get ahead of those before you list. Of those homes, 48% later sold and 49% never did. The ones that sold took a typical 99 days, against 44 days for a first contract.
If you're buying
- You have room to negotiate. 87% of homes sold below the first asking price, and the median sale came in at 94.0% of it.
- Look hard at homes that have sat. Listings that never sold sat a median of 160 days and cut the price a median of 3.1%.
- Cash is common here at 38% of buyers. Conventional loans were 56%, FHA 3% and VA 2%. Get your financing lined up before you write an offer.
Did you know?
- Of the 839 listings that ended in Ocean Isle Beach, 616 sold and 223 didn't.
- A home that sold after its first contract fell apart went for a median of 91.1% of asking. Homes that held their first contract got 94.3%.
- The median sold price in Ocean Isle Beach over the last 12 months was $425,000.
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Thinking of selling in Ocean Isle Beach? What it takes and what it costs →
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
27%
up 2.5 pts from a year ago
225 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 623 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
94.1%
down 0.5 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
86%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
3.1%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
49
down 9 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
5.9%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
19%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$430K
down 4.4% from a year ago
623 homes sold
The last 24 months
37% latest month · Sep 26
73 latest month · Sep 26
94.7% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 134 | 35 | 21% | 39 | 92.2% |
| $300–400K | 133 | 55 | 29% | 47 | 91.7% |
| $400–500K | 74 | 29 | 28% | 75 | 93.8% |
| $500–750K | 133 | 45 | 25% | 56 | 96.2% |
| $750K–1M | 56 | 17 | 23% | 53 | 96.2% |
| $1M+ | 93 | 44 | 32% | 54 | 94.0% |
Neighborhoods in Ocean Isle Beach
| Neighborhood | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osprey Isle | 78 | 23 | 23% | 25 | 81.3% |
| Ocean Ridge Plantation | 70 | 22 | 24% | 77 | 96.0% |
| Glendale Arbor | 54 | 4 | 7% | 47 | 96.8% |
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 21, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000