Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Oak Island
September 28, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.ai
Oak Island: 1 in 4 Listings Didn't Sell
Over the last 12 months in Oak Island, 807 listings ended and 584 sold, with the typical home taking 54 days to sell at 96.0% of asking price. Homes priced right from the start sold in about 15 days, while ones that needed price cuts sat for 95 days before going under contract.
Summary written September 23, 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 Oak Island 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 15 days. Needed price cuts: 93 days, and sold for 91.7% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Mortgage (principal + interest) | $3,416 |
| Property taxes | $184 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $538 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| About | $4,640 |
About $4,640 every month the home sits.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 170 days — roughly $25,900 in holding costs, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: 20% down, 30-year fixed at 6.95% (Freddie Mac average, 2026-09-17); Brunswick County rate 0.342 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. If your home is paid off, the mortgage line drops out — the rest still adds up.
When contracts fall apart
Contracts that fell apart
14%
93 of about 675 before closing
Those homes that later sold
53%
43% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
92.5%
vs. 96.3% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
100
vs. 50 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 62% · cash 29% · VA 2% · FHA 1%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one: homes priced right sold in 15 days, ones that needed cuts took 95 days
- The $1M+ range struggled most, with a 32% didn't-sell rate, while $300-400K homes did best at 20%
- Waiting has a cost: listings that never sold sat a median of 170 days and still needed a 2.4% price cut
- 14% of contracts fell apart, about 1 in 7, most often inspection, appraisal or financing issues
If you're buying
- Typical home sold for 96.0% of first asking price, and 83% of homes sold for less than the original ask
- Homes that struggled sat a median of 170 days on the market, so there's room to negotiate on those
- Most buyers used conventional financing (63%), while 29% paid cash
Did you know?
- A typical Oak Island home at $645,000 with a 6.95% rate runs about $4,640 a month to carry
- If a listing sits unsold, the estimated carrying cost while it waits is about $25,900
- When a contract falls apart, homes that later resell take a median of 106 days, versus 50 days for the first contract
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Thinking of selling in Oak Island? What it takes and what it costs →
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
27%
down 2.4 pts from a year ago
216 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 580 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
95.9%
up 0.3 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
2.4%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
54
down 3 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
32%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$645K
down 0.4% from a year ago
580 homes sold
The last 24 months
23% latest month · Aug 26
57 latest month · Aug 26
95.3% latest month · Aug 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 10 | 3 | 23% | 30 | 93.6% |
| $300–400K | 33 | 8 | 20% | 27 | 96.7% |
| $400–500K | 80 | 27 | 25% | 52 | 95.6% |
| $500–750K | 214 | 71 | 25% | 60 | 96.8% |
| $750K–1M | 122 | 52 | 30% | 71 | 96.1% |
| $1M+ | 121 | 55 | 31% | 53 | 94.8% |
Neighborhoods in Oak Island
| Neighborhood | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tranquil Harbor | 124 | 45 | 27% | 49 | 95.0% |
| Pinners Point | 31 | 12 | 28% | 56 | 96.4% |
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 September 28, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000