Market insights

What really happens to homes listed in Southport

The numbers most home sites don't show: how many listings never sell, how long homes really take, and what they sell for against the first asking price.

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Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Market insights: Southport

September 28, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.ai

In Southport, 1 in 4 listings didn't sell last year

Over the last 12 months in Southport, 755 homes sold and 257 didn't sell, a 25% rate. Homes priced right from the start sold in a median of 17 days, while ones that needed price cuts took 97 days and still closed at 92.5% of asking. Median sold price was $460,000, with typical homes fetching 95.4% of their first asking price.

Summary written September 23, 2026 from that day's numbers. The figures in the tiles update every hour, so they can differ slightly.

15 sold out of every 20 listed 5 didn't expired, withdrawn or canceled

Which pile do you want to be in?

Out of every 20 homes listed in Southport 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 17 days. Needed price cuts: 97 days, and sold for 92.4% of the first price.

What waiting costs

A typical $460,000 home, per month
Mortgage (principal + interest)$2,436
Property taxes$131
Homeowners insurance$250
Upkeep$383
Utilities$250
About$3,450

About $3,450 every month the home sits.

Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 156 days — roughly $17,700 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

20%

185 of about 936 before closing

Those homes that later sold

68%

28% never sold

Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through

91.5%

vs. 96.1% on the first contract

Days to sell after a fall-through

146

vs. 45 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 51% · cash 37% · VA 4% · FHA 5%.

If you're selling

  • Price it right from day one: homes priced correctly sold in a median of 17 days, versus 97 days for ones that needed cuts
  • The $1M+ range struggled most, with a 35% rate of not selling, while $500-750K homes did best at 18%
  • Listings that never sold sat a median of 156 days and still needed a 3.1% price cut along the way
  • 19% of contracts fell apart, about 1 in 5 — most often inspection, appraisal or financing issues in general industry experience. Homes that later re-sold took a median of 148 days and closed at 91.5% of asking, versus 96.1% and 45 days for homes that sold on the first contract

If you're buying

  • Typical homes sold for 95.4% of first asking price, and 84% of homes sold below that first ask, so there's room to negotiate
  • Homes that sat without selling lingered a median of 156 days, a sign to watch for stale listings
  • Buyers paid a mix of ways: 37% cash, 51% conventional loans, 5% FHA, and 4% VA

Did you know?

  • The typical Southport home took 57 days to sell over the last 12 months
  • At today's estimated 6.95% rate, carrying a $460,000 home runs about $3,450 a month, or an estimated $17,700 while it sits unsold
  • 257 Southport listings didn't sell in the last 12 months, the same 25% rate as the year before

Thinking of selling in Southport? What it takes and what it costs →

For sellers

Listings that didn't sell

26%

up 1.0 pts from a year ago

258 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 750 sold

Sold vs. first asking price

95.4%

down 0.5 pts from a year ago

median sale price ÷ original list price

Sold below first asking

84%

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

56

up 5 days from a year ago

median for sold homes, counted from the first listing

Typical room below first ask

4.6%

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

$460K

up 1.1% from a year ago

750 homes sold

By starting price

First askingSoldDidn't sell% didn't sellTrue daysSold vs. first ask
Under $300K1243924%3597.3%
$300–400K1616729%6295.4%
$400–500K1014129%5495.0%
$500–750K2094718%5495.7%
$750K–1M912924%7095.1%
$1M+643535%5594.1%

Neighborhoods in Southport

NeighborhoodSoldDidn't sell% didn't sellTrue daysSold vs. first ask
St James2408025%6295.0%
Boiling Spring Lakes1143524%4597.1%
South Harbour Village341226%8495.6%

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

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