Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: ZIP 28428 · Carolina Beach
October 20, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In Carolina Beach's 28428, 43% of listings ended without a sale
In ZIP code 28428 over the last 12 months, 616 homes came off the market and 349 sold. The other 267 didn't sell, which is 43%, up from 39% the year before. The typical sold home went for $672,000 in 59 days, at a median 96.0% of 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 ZIP 28428 · Carolina 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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: 95 days, and sold for 93.0% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $171 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $560 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $1,228 + mortgage |
About $1,228 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 167 days — roughly $6,748 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: New Hanover County rate 0.306 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%
94 of about 441 before closing
Those homes that later sold
40%
56% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
92.9%
vs. 96.3% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
147
vs. 53 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 63% · cash 25% · VA 3% · FHA 0%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 142 homes priced right sold in a typical 17 days. The 207 that needed price cuts took 95 days and sold at a median 93.0% of asking.
- Waiting is expensive. Carrying costs on a typical $672,000 home are estimated at about $1,228 a month before any mortgage. That's about $6,748 while a home sits unsold.
- The $300–400K range struggled most, with 49% not selling. Even the best range, $500–750K, had 40% not sell. No price range gets a free pass.
- About 1 in 5 contracts (21%) fell apart. Most often that's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, based on general industry experience. Get repairs checked and your paperwork ready before you list.
If you're buying
- There is room to negotiate. 83% of sold homes went for less than the first asking price. The typical sale came in at 96.0% of it.
- Look hard at homes that have sat. Listings that never sold sat a typical 167 days and took a median price cut of 3.1%. Homes that needed cuts and did sell closed at a median 93.0% of asking.
- Cash is common but not required. 25% of buyers paid cash and 64% used conventional loans. VA was 3% and FHA was 0%.
Did you know?
- Did you know? In 28428, 43% of listings over the last 12 months ended expired, withdrawn or canceled. A year earlier it was 39%.
- Did you know? After a contract fell apart, 57% of those homes never sold. Only 41% sold later, at a median 92.9% of asking.
- Did you know? First contracts that held sold at a median 96.3% of asking in a typical 53 days.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
44%
up 5.4 pts from a year ago
267 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 346 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
96.0%
up 1.0 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
83%
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
59
up 2 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
4.0%
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
$671K
up 5.5% from a year ago
346 homes sold
The last 24 months
46% latest month · Sep 26
71 latest month · Sep 26
95.5% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 5 | 4 | 44% | 37 | 94.4% |
| $300–400K | 27 | 26 | 49% | 93 | 94.5% |
| $400–500K | 32 | 31 | 49% | 50 | 97.1% |
| $500–750K | 125 | 84 | 40% | 65 | 96.4% |
| $750K–1M | 91 | 70 | 44% | 63 | 96.0% |
| $1M+ | 66 | 52 | 44% | 39 | 95.1% |
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