Buddy Blake Team · Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Market insights: Lenoir County
September 26, 2026
(910) 395‑1000 · buddyblake.ai
Lenoir County: 1 in 4 Listings Didn't Sell Last Year
In Lenoir County, 431 homes sold over the last 12 months out of 571 that ended, and 140 didn't sell. Homes priced right from the start sold in 19 days, while those needing cuts sat 74 days and still sold for less.
Which pile do you want to be in?
Out of every 20 homes listed in Lenoir 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 The outlined ones expired, were withdrawn or were canceled.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 19 days. Needed price cuts: 74 days, and sold for 91.5% of the first price.
What waiting costs
| Mortgage (principal + interest) | $1,196 |
| Property taxes | $126 |
| Homeowners insurance | $250 |
| Upkeep | $187 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| About | $2,010 |
About $2,010 every month the home sits.
Listings that didn't sell stayed on the market a median of 161 days — roughly $10,600 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); Lenoir County rate 0.675 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
23%
126 of about 559 before closing
Those homes that later sold
69%
29% never sold
Sold vs. first ask after a fall-through
90.7%
vs. 97.1% on the first contract
Days to sell after a fall-through
92
vs. 34 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 28% · cash 27% · VA 19% · FHA 23%.
If you're selling
- Price it right from day one. Homes priced correctly sold in 19 days at full value, while ones needing cuts took 74 days and sold at 91.5% of asking.
- Under $300K listings struggled most, with a 26% rate of not selling. The $300–400K range did best at 20%.
- Sitting on the market costs you. Listings that never sold sat a median of 161 days and still needed a 2.9% price cut.
- Contracts fall apart 23% of the time here, about 1 in 4. Most often it's inspection, appraisal or financing issues. Homes that got back on the market after a fallen contract took 92 days to sell versus 34 days for a clean first contract.
If you're buying
- Homes typically sell for 96.0% of the original asking price, and 70% of homes sold below that first list price. There's room to negotiate, especially on homes sitting a while.
- Homes priced right move fast, in 19 days. If you find one that just hit the market at a fair price, don't wait.
- Buyers are paying different ways: 27% cash, 28% conventional, 19% VA, and 23% FHA.
Did you know?
- The median sold price in Lenoir County over the last 12 months was $224,000.
- On a typical $224,000 home with today's 7.03% rate, the estimated monthly carrying cost runs about $2,010.
- A home that sits unsold for months can cost a seller an estimated $10,600 in carrying costs.
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For sellers
Listings that didn't sell
25%
up 3.4 pts from a year ago
140 expired, withdrawn or canceled vs 431 sold
Sold vs. first asking price
96.0%
down 0.9 pts from a year ago
median sale price ÷ original list price
Sold below first asking
70%
share of homes that sold
Price cut on homes that didn't sell
2.9%
median — and they still didn't sell
For buyers
True days on market
43
up 8 days from a year ago
median for sold homes, counted from the first listing
Typical room below first ask
4.0%
how far under the original price homes sold
Didn't sell, then sold on a relist
25%
of listings that didn't sell the first time
Median sold price
$224K
up 2.3% from a year ago
431 homes sold
The last 24 months
17% latest month · Aug 26
40 latest month · Aug 26
95.7% latest month · Aug 26
By starting price
| First asking | Sold | Didn't sell | % didn't sell | True days | Sold vs. first ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 323 | 112 | 26% | 38 | 95.0% |
| $300–400K | 80 | 20 | 20% | 54 | 98.5% |
| $400–500K | 14 | 5 | 26% | 38 | 95.5% |
| $500–750K | 11 | 2 | 15% | 88 | 96.2% |
| $750K–1M | 2 | 1 | 33% | 225 | 94.1% |
| $1M+ | 1 | 0 | 0% | 42 | 80.5% |
By town
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