Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Craven County
September 26, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.ai
Craven County: 1 in 5 listings didn't sell this year
In Craven County, homes that were priced right sold in 20 days. Homes that needed price cuts sat for 75 days and still sold for less. Buyers are paying close to asking, with the typical sold home going for 98.4% of first list price.
Which pile do you want to be in?
Out of every 20 homes listed in Craven County 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 20 days. Needed price cuts: 75 days, and sold for 92.9% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Mortgage (principal + interest) | $1,708 |
| Property taxes | $119 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $267 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| About | $2,590 |
About $2,590 every month the home sits.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 122 days — roughly $10,400 in holding costs, and the home still didn't sell.
An example, not a quote: 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average, 2026-09-24); Craven County rate 0.4448 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
19%
420 of about 2,251 before closing
Those homes that later sold
74%
23% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
95.4%
vs. 98.8% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
92
vs. 30 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 31% · cash 21% · VA 37% · FHA 10%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one: pricedright listings sold in 20 days, versus 75 days for ones that needed cuts
- Homes over $1M struggled most, with a 39% did-not-sell rate versus 15% under $300K
- Listings that never sold sat a median of 122 days and still had a 1.8% price cut
- 19% of contracts fell apart, most often inspection, appraisal or financing issues; homes that later re-sold took 92 days and sold at 95.4% of ask, versus 98.8% on a first contract in 30 days
If you're buying
- Typical sold home in Craven County went for 98.4% of first asking price, and 62% of homes sold below that first ask
- Homes needing a price cut before selling closed at 92.9% of ask, so there's room to negotiate on listings that have sat a while
- Financing mix: 37% VA, 31% conventional, 21% cash, 10% FHA
Did you know?
- Over the last 12 months, 2,233 listings ended in Craven County, with 1,822 selling and 411 not selling
- At $320,000 and a 7.03% rate, the estimated monthly carrying cost on a typical home runs about $2,590
- A home that sits unsold for a while can rack up an estimated $10,400 in carrying costs
Get the Craven County report every month
The same numbers, updated monthly, straight to your inbox. No spam, one click to stop.
For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
18%
up 3.4 pts from a year ago
411 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 1,822 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
98.4%
about the same as a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
62%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
1.8%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
36
up 7 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
1.6%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
22%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$320K
up 3.2% from a year ago
1,822 homes sold
The last 24 months
17% latest month · Aug 26
43 latest month · Aug 26
98.0% latest month · Aug 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 706 | 127 | 15% | 24 | 98.0% |
| $300–400K | 707 | 135 | 16% | 46 | 99.3% |
| $400–500K | 218 | 68 | 24% | 44 | 98.2% |
| $500–750K | 135 | 56 | 29% | 49 | 97.0% |
| $750K–1M | 39 | 14 | 26% | 71 | 96.0% |
| $1M+ | 17 | 11 | 39% | 42 | 91.6% |
By town
| Town | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Bern | 1,432 | 311 | 18% | 40 | 98.5% |
| Havelock | 256 | 65 | 20% | 27 | 98.4% |
| Trent Woods | 56 | 16 | 22% | 34 | 95.3% |
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 26, 2026. Totals only — no individual listing is shown. Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · (910) 395‑1000