Estimated cost of a dead deal
—
on a typical $466,500 home with a mortgage · — if it's paid off
- Contracts that fell apart
- 26% about 1 in 4 · 30 of 114
- Extra days on the market
- — — vs. 25 on the first contract
- Lower sale price
- — — vs. 98.2% of first asking
- Never sold at all
- 86% of the homes whose deal died
26% of contracts for homes in Pender County fell apart
30 of about 114 contracts for resale homes in Pender County fell apart in September 2026 — about 1 in 4. And 86% of the homes whose deal died never sold at all. That's up 4.0 points from September 2025.
- Where the MLS kept the date, the contract lasted a median of 20 days before it fell apart.
- 20% came back on the market at a lower price (a median 4.1% below the first price).
- Most resale deals die over the home inspection, the appraisal or the buyer's loan. A pre-market inspection finds the big items before a buyer does.
Take the surprise off the table
Most resale deals die over the inspection, the appraisal or the loan. A pre-market inspection finds the big items before a buyer does — so there's nothing left to renegotiate or walk away over. It's part of our home selling system.
Compared with other months
| Fell apart | Deals lost | Contracts | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 26% | 30 | 114 | — |
| Month before | 19% | 22 | 118 | $0 |
| Same month last year | 22% | 25 | 112 | $14,600 |
Deals that fell apart in a recent month may still sell — their "what happened next" fills in over the coming months.
What happened next
- Sold later 3% — after — days in all, for — of the first price
- Still trying 77% — back on the market or under contract again
- Never sold 20% — expired, canceled or withdrawn
Homes that sold on their first contract took 25 days and sold for 98.2% of their first price. 20% of the homes that came back on the market cut their price.
By age of the home
Older homes give inspectors more to find.
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 yrs | 28 | 29% | — | — | — |
| 10–19 yrs | 14 | 7% | — | — | — |
| 20–29 yrs | 30 | 20% | — | — | — |
| 30–49 yrs | 22 | 23% | — | — | — |
| 50+ yrs | 19 | 53% | — | — | — |
Crawl space vs. no crawl space
Moisture, wood rot and insect damage under the house are common inspection findings on the coast.
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawl space | 50 | 28% | — | — | — |
| No crawl space | 53 | 23% | — | — | — |
By first asking price
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 23 | 26% | — | — | — |
| $300–400K | 17 | 24% | — | — | — |
| $400–500K | 21 | 24% | — | — | — |
| $500–750K | 30 | 20% | — | — | — |
| $750K–1M | 10 | 30% | — | — | — |
| $1M+ | 13 | 46% | — | — | — |
Homes behind the numbers
Back on the market
Their contract fell apart; they're for sale again.
- 5237 Bell Williams Road, CurrieBack on the market · $375,000 · fell apart Sep 29, 2026
- 606 Galley Court, HampsteadBack on the market · $160,000 · fell apart Sep 25, 2026
- 310 Michelle Lane, Rocky PointBack on the market · $243,000 · fell apart Sep 24, 2026
- 3698 Nc Highway 53 E, BurgawBack on the market · $514,100 · fell apart Sep 23, 2026
- 177 Tilloo Cut Way, HampsteadBack on the market · $595,000 · fell apart Sep 22, 2026
- 103 Bergman Street, HampsteadBack on the market · $474,900 · fell apart Sep 21, 2026
- 265 Iris Way, HampsteadBack on the market · $789,900 · fell apart Sep 17, 2026
- 304 Edgewater Way, Surf CityBack on the market · $459,000 · fell apart Sep 16, 2026
- 609 Jacksonville Highway, BurgawBack on the market · $225,000 · fell apart Sep 15, 2026
- 572 Captain Beam Boulevard, HampsteadBack on the market · $750,000 · fell apart Sep 14, 2026
- 379 W Huckleberry Way, Rocky PointBack on the market · $485,000 · fell apart Sep 11, 2026
- 126 Leeward Lane, HampsteadBack on the market · $399,999 · fell apart Sep 9, 2026
- 4044 Nc Highway 50, Maple HillBack on the market · $229,500 · fell apart Sep 3, 2026
- 707 N Green Tee Road, HampsteadBack on the market · $632,500 · fell apart Sep 3, 2026
- 918 N New River Drive 515, Surf CityBack on the market · $379,000 · fell apart Sep 2, 2026
- 350 Murray Turner Farm Road, BurgawBack on the market · $750,000 · fell apart Sep 2, 2026
- 650 Red Fox Trail, HampsteadBack on the market · $2,499,999 · fell apart Sep 2, 2026
- 1008 Ocean Boulevard, Topsail BeachBack on the market · $1,115,000 · fell apart Sep 1, 2026
Under contract again
Second try under way.
- 1220 Saint Johns Church Road, HampsteadUnder contract again · $185,000 · fell apart Sep 25, 2026
- 233 High Tide Drive, WilmingtonUnder contract again · $479,000 · fell apart Sep 3, 2026
Sold after a deal fell apart
It closed — on a later contract.
- 1040 Ocean Boulevard, Topsail BeachSold · $1,050,000 · fell apart Sep 14, 2026
Most recent first. Homes that were withdrawn, expired or canceled are counted in the numbers but not listed here.
Questions sellers ask
How often do home sale contracts fall apart in Pender County?
30 of about 114 contracts for resale homes in Pender County fell apart in September 2026 — about 1 in 4.
Why do home sale contracts fall apart?
The MLS doesn't record the reason. In our experience the most common are home inspection findings (roof, HVAC, moisture and crawl space, wood-destroying insects, electrical and plumbing), appraisals below the price, and buyer financing. In North Carolina a buyer can walk away for any reason during the due diligence period.
How can a seller keep a deal from falling apart?
Have the home inspected before it goes on the market, then fix or disclose the big items up front. Buyers can't use a surprise to renegotiate or walk away when there's no surprise left. A pre-market inspection is part of the Buddy Blake Team's home selling system.
Resale homes only — new construction and land are left out. A deal "fell apart" when a home went under contract and then came back on the market, or was canceled, withdrawn or expired after a contract was written, however long the contract lasted. Extra days and the price scar compare homes that sold after a deal fell apart with homes that sold on their first contract in the same area and slice. The MLS doesn't record why a contract ended. Source: Hive MLS data compiled by the Buddy Blake Team, updated October 3, 2026. Numbers for September 2026 only.