Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Wayne County
October 20, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
Wayne County: 1 in 4 listings ended without a sale
In Wayne County over the last 12 months, 1,490 homes came off the market and 385 of them didn't sell. That is 26%, up from 19% the year before. The homes that did sell went for a median of $274,000 in a typical 51 days.
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 Wayne County 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 27 days. Needed price cuts: 75 days, and sold for 93.0% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $143 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $228 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $872 + mortgage |
About $872 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 129 days — roughly $3,685 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Wayne County rate 0.6259 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
21%
289 of about 1,404 before closing
Those homes that later sold
64%
33% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
95.9%
vs. 98.3% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
94
vs. 42 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 29% · cash 15% · VA 33% · FHA 20%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 640 homes priced right sold in a typical 27 days. The 465 that needed price cuts took 75 days and sold at 93.0% of asking.
- Some price ranges struggle more. In $400–500K, 29% of listings didn't sell. In $500–750K, it was 15%.
- Waiting costs money. For a typical home at $274,000, carrying costs are estimated at about $872 a month before the mortgage. That is about $3,685 while a home sits unsold. Listings that never sold sat a median 129 days and cut the price a median of only 2.0%.
- Contracts fall apart too: 21% did, about 1 in 5. Most often it's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, in general industry experience. Get ahead of them. Fix known problems and have your paperwork ready before you list. A first contract sold at 98.3% of asking in 42 days. After a fall-through, it was 95.9% in 93 days.
If you're buying
- There is room to talk price. Homes sold at a median 98.0% of the first asking price, and 64% sold below it.
- Homes that sit are your best chance. Those that needed cuts sold at 93.0% of asking. Homes that sold after a contract fell apart went for 95.9% of asking.
- Here is how buyers paid: 33% VA, 30% conventional, 20% FHA and 15% cash.
Did you know?
- Did you know? In Wayne County, 64% of homes that lost their first contract later sold, but 33% never sold.
- Did you know? Homes priced right sold in a typical 27 days. Homes that needed cuts took 75 days.
- Did you know? A year earlier, 19% of Wayne County listings didn't sell. Now it is 26%.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
26%
up 6.8 pts from a year ago
387 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 1,114 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
98.0%
down 0.5 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
64%
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
51
up 16 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
2.0%
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
$274K
up 3.0% from a year ago
1,114 homes sold
The last 24 months
43% latest month · Sep 26
54 latest month · Sep 26
97.2% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 687 | 215 | 24% | 40 | 98.1% |
| $300–400K | 322 | 128 | 28% | 88 | 97.9% |
| $400–500K | 62 | 25 | 29% | 47 | 98.0% |
| $500–750K | 34 | 6 | 15% | 31 | 97.6% |
| $750K–1M | 5 | 8 | 62% | 110 | 97.6% |
| $1M+ | 4 | 5 | 56% | 251 | 87.2% |
By town
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 20, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000