Estimated cost of a dead deal
—
on a typical $580,000 home with a mortgage · — if it's paid off
- Contracts that fell apart
- 27% about 1 in 4 · 21 of 77
- Extra days on the market
- — — vs. 45 on the first contract
- Lower sale price
- — — vs. 96.4% of first asking
- Never sold at all
- 50% of the homes whose deal died
27% of contracts for homes in ZIP 28461 fell apart
21 of about 77 contracts for resale homes in ZIP 28461 fell apart in September 2026 — about 1 in 4. And 50% of the homes whose deal died never sold at all. That's up 17.2 points from September 2025.
- 14% came back on the market at a lower price (a median 1.4% 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 | 27% | 21 | 77 | — |
| Month before | 22% | 21 | 94 | — |
| Same month last year | 10% | 7 | 69 | $25,800 |
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 90% — back on the market or under contract again
- Never sold 5% — expired, canceled or withdrawn
Homes that sold on their first contract took 45 days and sold for 96.4% of their first price. 14% 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 | 22 | 14% | — | — | — |
| 10–19 yrs | 14 | 21% | — | — | — |
| 20–29 yrs | 22 | 41% | — | — | — |
| 30–49 yrs | 15 | 27% | — | — | — |
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 | 21 | 33% | — | — | — |
| No crawl space | 50 | 26% | — | — | — |
By first asking price
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 11 | 18% | — | — | — |
| $300–400K | 20 | 30% | — | — | — |
| $500–750K | 18 | 39% | — | — | — |
| $750K–1M | 11 | 27% | — | — | — |
| $1M+ | 13 | 15% | — | — | — |
Homes behind the numbers
Back on the market
Their contract fell apart; they're for sale again.
- 4249 Skeffington Court, SouthportBack on the market · $699,000 · fell apart Sep 29, 2026
- 3350 Club Villas Drive # 802, SouthportBack on the market · $344,900 · fell apart Sep 28, 2026
- 5052 Wyncie Wynd, SouthportBack on the market · $279,000 · fell apart Sep 28, 2026
- 2927 Trailwood Drive SE, SouthportBack on the market · $449,000 · fell apart Sep 25, 2026
- 3030 Marsh Winds Circle Unit 102, SouthportBack on the market · $259,900 · fell apart Sep 24, 2026
- 301 E West Street, SouthportBack on the market · $989,500 · fell apart Sep 22, 2026
- 11 East Beach Drive, Bald Head IslandBack on the market · $15,999,000 · fell apart Sep 19, 2026
- 4965 Alamance Drive SE, SouthportBack on the market · $375,000 · fell apart Sep 19, 2026
- 4285 Loblolly Circle SE, SouthportBack on the market · $699,900 · fell apart Sep 18, 2026
- 1111 Newton Drive SE, SouthportBack on the market · $841,500 · fell apart Sep 12, 2026
- 3350 Club Villas Drive # 2102, SouthportBack on the market · $344,900 · fell apart Sep 10, 2026
- 3583 W Medinah Avenue SE, SouthportBack on the market · $579,000 · fell apart Sep 2, 2026
- 3819 Berkeley Court, SouthportBack on the market · $634,000 · fell apart Sep 1, 2026
Under contract again
Second try under way.
- 2787 St James Drive SE, SouthportUnder contract again · $849,000 · fell apart Sep 18, 2026
- 810 E Cape Harbor Drive, SouthportUnder contract again · $499,500 · fell apart Sep 16, 2026
- 6465 Walden Pond Lane, SouthportUnder contract again · $925,000 · fell apart Sep 16, 2026
- 7130 River Road SE, SouthportUnder contract again · $540,000 · fell apart Sep 12, 2026
Sold after a deal fell apart
It closed — on a later contract.
- 20 Bay Tree Trail Unit 6a, Bald Head IslandSold · $582,000 · fell apart Sep 13, 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 77 contracts for resale homes in ZIP 28461 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.