Market insights

What really happens to homes listed in Washington

The numbers most home sites don't show: how many listings never sell, how long homes really take, and what they sell for against the first asking price.

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Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Market insights: Washington

October 23, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com

In Washington, 1 in 3 homes didn't sell in the last 12 months

Washington had 322 homes end their listings in the last 12 months. 225 sold and 97 didn't, a 30% rate, up from 23% the year before. The typical home that sold took 33 days and closed at 96.0% of the first asking price.

Summary written October 17, 2026 from that day's numbers. The figures in the tiles update every hour, so they can differ slightly.

14 sold out of every 20 listed 6 didn't expired, withdrawn or canceled

Which pile do you want to be in?

Out of every 20 homes listed in Washington 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 13 days. Needed price cuts: 81 days, and sold for 90.9% of the first price.

What waiting costs

A typical $305,000 home, per month
Property taxes$113
Homeowners insurance$250
Upkeep$254
Utilities$250
Your mortgage paymentif you have one
About$871 + mortgage

About $871 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.

Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 162 days — roughly $4,627 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.

An example, not a quote: Beaufort County rate 0.445 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

20%

58 of about 287 before closing

Those homes that later sold

57%

41% never sold

Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through

89.8%

vs. 96.2% on the first contract

Days to sell after a fall-through

112

vs. 27 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 48% · cash 33% · VA 10% · FHA 9%.

If you're selling

  • Price it right from day one. The 91 homes priced right sold in a median of 13 days. The 134 that needed price cuts took 81 days and sold at 90.9% of asking.
  • Waiting costs money. On a typical $305,000 home, carrying costs before the mortgage are estimated at about $871 a month. That is about $4,627 while a home sits unsold.
  • Watch your price range. The $500–750K range had the hardest time, with 41% not selling. Under $300K was the easiest at 21%.
  • Contracts fall apart too, about 1 in 5 of them (19%). Most often it's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, in general industry experience. Get ahead of them with repairs and paperwork ready before you list. After a contract fell apart, 57% later sold, but 43% never did, and those took a median of 111 days against 27 days for first contracts.

If you're buying

  • You have room to negotiate. 76% of sold homes went for less than the first asking price, and the median sale came in at 96.0% of it.
  • Look hard at homes that have sat. Listings that never sold had a median of 162 days on the market and a median price cut of 4.1%.
  • Cash is common but not required. 33% of buyers paid cash, 48% used conventional loans, 9% VA and 9% FHA.

Did you know?

  • Did you know? The median sold price in Washington over the last 12 months was $305,000.
  • Did you know? Homes that sold after a contract fell apart closed at 88.7% of asking, against 96.2% for homes that held together on the first contract.
  • Did you know? The share of Washington listings that didn't sell rose from 23% to 30% in a year.

Thinking of selling in Washington? What it takes and what it costs →

Deal Killer Report: how often contracts fall apart in Washington — and what it costs the seller →

For sellers

Listings that didn't sell

30%

up 7.1 pts from a year ago

98 expired or canceled vs 229 sold

Sold vs. first asking price

95.9%

about the same as a year ago

median sale price ÷ original list price

Sold below first asking

76%

share of homes that sold

Price cut on homes that didn't sell

4.0%

median — and they still didn't sell

For buyers

True days on market

35

up 7 days from a year ago

median for sold homes, counted from the first listing

Typical room below first ask

4.1%

how far under the original price homes sold

Didn't sell, then sold on a relist

15%

of listings that didn't sell the first time

Median sold price

$298K

up 4.6% from a year ago

229 homes sold

By starting price

First askingSoldDidn't sell% didn't sellTrue daysSold vs. first ask
Under $300K1022721%2695.9%
$300–400K582933%3596.8%
$400–500K291331%5494.4%
$500–750K261841%5995.1%
$750K–1M9744%9396.7%
$1M+5444%6493.2%

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 October 23, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000

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