Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Sunset Beach
October 19, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
Sunset Beach: 1 in 4 listings ended without a sale
In Sunset Beach over the last 12 months, 582 homes came off the market. 432 sold and 150 didn't sell, a rate of 26%, up from 23% the year before. The typical home that sold took 57 days, at a median price of $477,500.
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 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 12 days. Needed price cuts: 105 days, and sold for 91.8% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $136 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $398 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $1,035 + mortgage |
About $1,035 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 154 days — roughly $5,231 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
18%
93 of about 526 before closing
Those homes that later sold
60%
39% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
92.2%
vs. 97.2% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
147
vs. 46 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 50% · cash 41% · VA 5% · FHA 2%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 206 homes priced right sold in a typical 11 days. The 226 that needed cuts took 106 days and sold at 91.7% of asking.
- A small cut late doesn't fix it. Listings that never sold took a median price cut of just 2.0% and sat a median 154 days.
- The $1M+ range is the hardest, with 38% not selling. The $500–750K range did best at 20%. Above $1M, pricing and condition matter even more.
- Waiting costs money. On a $477,500 home, carrying costs before the mortgage are estimated at about $1,035 a month. An unsold home is estimated at about $5,231 in carrying costs before the mortgage.
If you're buying
- There's room to negotiate. 73% of homes sold below their first asking price, and the typical home sold at 96.6% of first ask.
- Homes that sit are a signal. Listings that never sold sat a median 154 days, and homes that needed cuts took a median 106 days to sell.
- Cash is common here. Buyers paid cash on 41% of sales and used conventional loans on 50%. VA loans were 5% and FHA loans were 2%.
Did you know?
- Did you know? In Sunset Beach, 18% of contracts fell apart, about 1 in 6.
- Did you know? Homes that held their first contract sold at a median 97.2% of asking in 48 days. After a contract fell apart, it was 92.2% and 147 days.
- Did you know? After a contract fell apart, 60% of those homes later sold and 39% never sold.
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Thinking of selling in Sunset Beach? What it takes and what it costs →
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
25%
up 1.5 pts from a year ago
146 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 433 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
96.6%
up 1.4 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
73%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
2.0%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
56
up 25 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
3.4%
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
$473K
up 23.6% from a year ago
433 homes sold
The last 24 months
24% latest month · Sep 26
52 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 | 91 | 43 | 32% | 42 | 95.4% |
| $300–400K | 83 | 21 | 20% | 64 | 94.0% |
| $400–500K | 41 | 19 | 32% | 73 | 93.9% |
| $500–750K | 178 | 43 | 20% | 32 | 99.8% |
| $750K–1M | 17 | 6 | 26% | 110 | 94.8% |
| $1M+ | 23 | 14 | 38% | 74 | 92.6% |
Neighborhoods in Sunset Beach
| Neighborhood | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Trail Plantation | 136 | 41 | 23% | 41 | 97.8% |
| Ocean Ridge Plantation | 48 | 4 | 8% | 69 | 99.8% |
| Sandpiper Bay | 33 | 17 | 34% | 38 | 95.5% |
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