Longleaf Pine REALTORS® today released its May 2026 housing market statistics, offering insight into current real estate trends across southeastern North Carolina. 
Key Market Statistics – May 2026
Total Closed Sales: 680 (▼ 12.3% year-over-year)
Pending Sales: 760 (▲ 5.4% year-over-year)
Median Sales Price: $304,000 (▼ 0.3% year-over-year)
Average Sales Price: $313,464 (▼ 0.2% year-over-year)
Active Inventory: 2,542 homes (▲ 14.1% year-over-year)
Months of Supply: 4.1 months
Average Days on Market: 58 days (no change year-over-year)
New Listings: 1,053 (▼ 2.0% year-over-year)
May’s data points to a regional housing market that remains active, but more balanced and selective than the highly compressed market conditions seen in recent years. Pending sales increased 5.4% year over year, showing that buyers are still engaging with the market, while closed sales declined 12.3%, suggesting that activity is not converting into completed transactions at the same pace across all segments.
Compared with April, May brought additional inventory and stronger closed sales activity. Closed sales increased from 626 in April to 680 in May, while active inventory rose from 2,392 homes to 2,542. The median sales price also increased from $299,803 in April to $304,000 in May, while new listings declined from 1,093 to 1,053.
Pricing remained steady overall, with the median sales price down just 0.3% year over year to $304,000 and sellers receiving 98.5% of list price on average.
Market performance continued to vary by property type. Existing single-family homes remained the largest segment of activity, with 488 closed sales, down 6.2% from last year, and a median sales price of $277,450, up 0.6%. Single-family new construction recorded 170 closed sales, down 20.6%, with a median sales price of $343,440, down 2.8%. Townhouse and condominium activity showed mixed results, with pending sales up 46.9% and median sales prices up 20.8% to $206,500, while closed sales declined 46.3% to 22.
Inventory growth continues to move the market toward greater balance. The region ended May with 2,542 homes for sale, up 14.1% from last year, for a 4.1-month supply.
The broader 12-month view shows a steady but segmented market. For the rolling 12-month period ending in May 2026, pending sales were up 0.2% overall, with the strongest gain in the $350,000-and-above price range, where activity increased 7.2%. The rolling median sales price increased 3.1% to $299,000, while townhouse/condo properties posted the largest price gain by property type, rising 12.1% to $190,500. The fastest-moving price range remained $150,000 to $249,999 at 42 days, while homes priced at $350,000 and above took the longest to sell at 73 days.
Leadership Perspective
“May’s numbers tell the story of a market that is finding a healthier balance,” said Candi Quigley, president of Longleaf Pine REALTORS®, in a pres release. “Buyers have more choices than they’ve had in quite some time, which is creating new opportunities across our communities. At the same time, we’re seeing that every home has its own story—factors like pricing, location, condition, and property type are playing a bigger role in how quickly homes sell and the interest they attract.”