Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: ZIP 28504 · Kinston
October 19, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.com
In 28504, 1 in 4 listings ended without a sale
In ZIP code 28504 (Kinston area) over the last 12 months, 204 homes ended their listings. 157 sold and 47 didn't, which is 23%, up from 16% the year before. The typical home that sold took 42 days and went for $237,500.
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 ZIP 28504 · Kinston 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 16 days. Needed price cuts: 78 days, and sold for 92.6% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Property taxes | $134 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $198 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Your mortgage payment | if you have one |
| About | $834 + mortgage |
About $834 every month the home sits — plus your mortgage payment.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 133 days — roughly $3,646 in taxes, insurance, upkeep and utilities alone, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: Lenoir County rate 0.675 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
24%
50 of about 207 before closing
Those homes that later sold
66%
30% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
93.0%
vs. 96.8% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
114
vs. 31 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 24% · VA 24% · FHA 20%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. The 70 homes priced right sold in a typical 16 days. The 87 that needed cuts took 78 days and sold at 92.6% of asking.
- Waiting costs money. On a home at $237,500, carrying costs run an estimated $834 a month before mortgage. A home that sits unsold racks up about $3,646.
- Under $300K is the toughest range here, with 25% not selling. $300–400K did best at 11%. If you're under $300K, don't test the market with a high price.
- About 1 in 4 contracts fell apart. Most often that's inspection, appraisal or financing issues, in general industry experience. Get ahead of them: prep the home, and line up repairs and paperwork early. Homes that sold after a fall-through took 114 days, versus 31 days for first contracts.
If you're buying
- There is room to negotiate. 73% of homes sold below their first asking price, and the typical sale was 96.2% of first ask.
- Watch the homes that sit. Listings that never sold sat a median 133 days, and their median price cut was 2.8%. Long time on market can mean a seller is ready to deal.
- You're not competing only with cash. Buyers paid cash 24% of the time, conventional 29%, VA 24% and FHA 20%.
Did you know?
- Homes that sold after a first contract fell apart went for 93.0% of asking. First contracts that held closed at 96.8%.
- After a contract fell apart, 66% of those homes later sold, but 30% never sold at all.
- The median sold price in 28504 over the last 12 months was $237,500.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
23%
up 7.4 pts from a year ago
47 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 157 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
96.2%
down 0.9 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
2.8%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
42
up 8 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
3.8%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
17%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$238K
up 8.6% from a year ago
157 homes sold
The last 24 months
10% latest month · Sep 26
81 latest month · Sep 26
94.1% latest month · Sep 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 121 | 40 | 25% | 38 | 96.0% |
| $300–400K | 25 | 3 | 11% | 61 | 97.5% |
| $400–500K | 5 | 3 | 38% | 33 | 94.9% |
| $500–750K | 3 | 1 | 25% | 88 | 95.7% |
| $750K–1M | 2 | 0 | 0% | 225 | 94.1% |
| $1M+ | 1 | 0 | 0% | 42 | 80.5% |
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