Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Sandpiper Bay, Sunset Beach
October 19, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In Sandpiper Bay, 1 in 3 listings ended without a sale
Over the last 12 months, 51 homes ended in the Sandpiper Bay neighborhood in Sunset Beach. 34 sold and 17 didn't, which is a didn't-sell rate of 33%, up from 29% the year before. The typical home that sold took 40 days and brought 95.4% 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 Sandpiper Bay, Sunset 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 19 days. Needed price cuts: 65 days, and sold for 93.8% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $74 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $217 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $788 + mortgage |
About $788 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 170 days — roughly $4,417 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
13%
5 of about 38 before closing
Those homes that later sold
40%
60% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
94.2%
vs. 95.5% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
151
vs. 36 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 42% · cash 52% · VA 0% · FHA 3%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 13 homes priced right sold in a typical 19 days. The 21 that needed price cuts took 67 days and sold at 93.5% of asking.
- Small cuts don't fix a wrong starting price. Listings that never sold cut a median of 2.2% and sat a median of 170 days.
- Waiting costs money. On a typical home at $260,250, estimated carrying costs before the mortgage are about $788 a month, or about $4,417 while a home sits unsold.
- Contracts fall apart about 1 in 8 times, or 13%. Most often it's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, in my experience. After one falls apart, only 40% later sold and 60% never did. Those that sold took a median of 151 days, against 37 days for a first contract. Get ahead of inspection and financing problems before you accept an offer.
If you're buying
- There is room to negotiate. 85% of sales closed below the first asking price, and the median sale came in at 95.4% of asking.
- Homes that sit are the best place to push. Listings that never sold sat a median of 170 days, and sellers who needed cuts ended up at 93.5% of asking.
- Cash is a big part of the market here. 50% of buyers paid cash, 44% used conventional loans, 3% used FHA and 0% used VA. If you're financing, a clean, well-supported offer matters.
Did you know?
- Did you know? The median sold price in Sandpiper Bay over the last 12 months was $260,250.
- Did you know? When a first contract held, homes sold in a median of 37 days. After one fell apart, the median was 151 days.
- Did you know? Of the contracts that fell apart, 60% never sold, and the 40% that later sold brought 94.2% of asking.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
34%
up 6.0 pts from a year ago
17 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 33 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
95.5%
up 0.8 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
85%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
2.2%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
38
down 32 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
4.5%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
12%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$262K
down 3.7% from a year ago
33 homes sold
The last 24 months
40% latest month · Sep 26
19 latest month · Sep 26
100.0% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 17 | 15 | 47% | 33 | 97.8% |
| $300–400K | 5 | 1 | 17% | 74 | 95.3% |
| $400–500K | 9 | 1 | 10% | 62 | 93.5% |
| $500–750K | 2 | 0 | 0% | 55 | 96.2% |
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