Estimated cost of a dead deal
—
on a typical $597,000 home with a mortgage · — if it's paid off
- Contracts that fell apart
- 22% about 1 in 4 · 21 of 94
- Extra days on the market
- — — vs. 45 on the first contract
- Lower sale price
- — — vs. 95.2% of first asking
- Never sold at all
- 80% of the homes whose deal died
22% of contracts for homes in ZIP 28461 fell apart
21 of about 94 contracts for resale homes in ZIP 28461 fell apart in August 2026 — about 1 in 4. And 80% of the homes whose deal died never sold at all. That's down 0.6 points from August 2025.
- Where the MLS kept the date, the contract lasted a median of 20 days before it fell apart.
- 29% came back on the market at a lower price (a median 9.6% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 22% | 21 | 94 | — |
| Month before | 18% | 16 | 88 | $57,300 |
| Same month last year | 23% | 19 | 83 | $52,100 |
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 5% — after — days in all, for — of the first price
- Still trying 76% — back on the market or under contract again
- Never sold 19% — expired, canceled or withdrawn
Homes that sold on their first contract took 45 days and sold for 95.2% of their first price. 29% 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 | 21 | 5% | — | — | — |
| 10–19 yrs | 20 | 35% | — | — | — |
| 20–29 yrs | 39 | 18% | — | — | — |
| 30–49 yrs | 11 | 36% | — | — | — |
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 | 35 | 34% | — | — | — |
| No crawl space | 54 | 15% | — | — | — |
By first asking price
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 13 | 31% | — | — | — |
| $300–400K | 16 | 31% | — | — | — |
| $500–750K | 23 | 17% | — | — | — |
| $750K–1M | 15 | 13% | — | — | — |
| $1M+ | 18 | 11% | — | — | — |
Homes behind the numbers
Back on the market
Their contract fell apart; they're for sale again.
- 1021 Filmore Street, SouthportBack on the market · $259,000 · fell apart Aug 27, 2026
- 609 Clarendon Avenue, SouthportBack on the market · $650,000 · fell apart Aug 22, 2026
- 3574 White Spruce Glen, SouthportBack on the market · $549,000 · fell apart Aug 18, 2026
- 301 E Bay Street, SouthportBack on the market · $2,799,000 · fell apart Aug 18, 2026
- 2117 Maple Leaf Drive, SouthportBack on the market · $429,000 · fell apart Aug 16, 2026
- 3100 Marsh Grove Lane Unit 3211, SouthportBack on the market · $349,500 · fell apart Aug 15, 2026
- 4387 Gauntlet Drive SE, SouthportBack on the market · $559,000 · fell apart Aug 10, 2026
- 4901 N Hampton Drive SE, SouthportBack on the market · $285,000 · fell apart Aug 8, 2026
Under contract again
Second try under way.
- 5219 Minnesota Drive SE, SouthportUnder contract again · $365,000 · fell apart Aug 26, 2026
- 280 Crystal Road, SouthportUnder contract again · $259,900 · fell apart Aug 12, 2026
- 3185 Wexford Way, SouthportUnder contract again · $539,000 · fell apart Aug 12, 2026
- 6131 River Sound Circle, SouthportUnder contract again · $769,000 · fell apart Aug 5, 2026
Sold after a deal fell apart
It closed — on a later contract.
- 1281 Spring Lake Drive, SouthportSold · $440,000 · fell apart Aug 1, 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 ZIP 28461?
21 of about 94 contracts for resale homes in ZIP 28461 fell apart in August 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 August 2026 only.