obx sandbar living monthly market update
May is here, and the market is hitting its stride.
With the first four months of 2026 now behind us, we’re starting to see some clear patterns take shape. Buyer activity has continued to build, and while new inventory has been coming online, well-positioned homes are still capturing strong attention, especially as we head into the early summer season.
This time of year tends to bring a sense of urgency on both sides. Buyers are looking to secure something in time to enjoy the season ahead, and sellers are stepping in to meet that demand. The result? A market that’s active, competitive, and very much opportunity-driven, but still dependent on thoughtful pricing and preparation.
In this month’s update, we’ll take a look at what the year-to-date data through April is telling us: how inventory, pricing, and days on market are trending, and what that could mean if you’re considering a move in 2026.
As always, if you’d like a more personalized look at your property, your neighborhood, or your goals for the year, I’m here to help.
Let’s dive into what the numbers are showing so far this year. 📊
-Danielle
Outer Banks Real Estate Market-at-a-Glance for YTD 2026
Sold and Under Contract Analysis
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL:
YTD residential sales units are down 6.7% versus YTD 2025
YTD residential sales dollars are down 4.6% vs. YTD 2025
YTD median sale price is $700,000, down 1% vs. YTD 2025 (meaning that half of the properties sold above $700,000 and half sold below that price)
YTD average sale price is $867,978, up 2.2% vs. YTD 2025
April 2026 residential sales units were down 13.3% versus April 2025
Sales units April ‘26 over March ‘26 were up 11%
New listing inventory for April was down 13.3% versus March
As a comparison, new listings for April ‘26 were up 3.4% versus April ‘25
April residential sales volume vs. March was up 43.2%
Active listings are down 2.2% versus March
Multiple offer situations are down 6% year-over year, but up 43% April vs. March! While multiple offers are not a required disclosure in our MLS, they are heavily influenced by positioning in the market from the outset, as well as by area and town, so be sure to watch our monthly stats videos on YouTube for more insight!
As we’ve said before, it’s critical for sellers to price and position your home correctly from the outset. What does that mean? Follow the recent comparable sales and trends for your specific neighborhood and follow your trusted agent’s guidance on staging and making your home as attractive as possible to buyers. If you think selling is in your future, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your options (and be sure to watch my video, Top 10 Things that are Irrelevant when Pricing an Outer Banks Property)!
For our buyers, keep in mind that if you’re waiting for a price reduction on your dream home, there’s a good chance that others are, too, and you might still wind up in multiple offers on a home that’s been on the market a while (it does happen and we experienced this phenomenon recently!). For more food for thought, watch my latest buyer video, What Should I Offer on an Outer Banks Home?.
Now, let's look at month-over-month:
Median sale price for all Residential property sold in the month of April was $750.000, up 13.6% versus March.
April 2026's median sale price was down 3.5% versus April 2025.
April ‘26 vs. April ‘25, residential properties sold 10% faster (year-over-year, they’re selling 11% faster than 2025).
We continue to see a reduction in cash buyers (down 2.7%) and disclosed multiple offers (down 6%) year over year (keep in mind that multiple offers are not a required disclosure in our MLS).
RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND LAND:
YTD residential land sales units down 11% versus YTD 2025.
YTD residential land sales dollars also down 11% versus YTD 2025.
YTD residential land median sold price is $145,000, down 3% versus YTD 2025.
April residential land sales units were down 42% compared to April 2025.
April residential land sales units were up 22% versus March.
April residential land sales dollars were down 34% versus April 2025.
April residential land sales dollars were up 5% versus March.
inventory analysis
New listing inventory for April 2026 was up 3.4% versus April 2025 and down 13.3% versus March’s new listings.
Drilling down, 183 new listings hit the market in April 2026, with 31.2% of those properties already sold or under contract.
Average days on market for these is 4; median days on market is 2 (the good stuff continues to move fast!).
4 of those listings has already closed as of 4/30; 2 of those were cash transactions, and 1 was a disclosed multiple offer situation (as a reminder, disclosure of multiple offers is not required by our MLS).
See the chart below for the full breakdown by area…
Inventory Analysis by Area YTD 2026
If you’d like to get more hyper-local with your neighborhood or area, please feel free to contact me!
days on market and distressed data analysis
Average days on market for SOLD residential properties in April was 71, selling 25% slower than March’s average of 57 days.
The average home sold 10% faster in April 2026 (71 days) versus April 2025 (79 days).
The Median days on market in April was 39, meaning that half of the sold units did so in 39 days or less.
Year over year, the average DOM for properties sold in 2026 is 67 (vs. 75 days YTD 2025), meaning that the average property sold 11% faster than one year ago.
Average days on market for all current ACTIVE residential listings is 101 days (up 4% versus March)
Month-over-month, the average days on market for Under Contract properties is 73 days (down 10% versus 79 days in March).
31.2% of properties listed in April have already gone under contract or sold with an average days on market of 4.
It still rings true that homes that are priced consistent with their condition and/or are located in high demand areas per the chart above are still moving quickly and with multiple offers.
For distressed sales (short sales and/or bank-owned properties), there were 0 sold units in April ‘26 (flat to April 2025). There were 0 active distressed units as of April 30, 2026.
Year-Over-Year Market Comparison
pricing analysis
Residential Median Sale Price for YTD 2026 is $682,500, which is down 2% versus the year prior.
You’ll find a breakdown by price point below:
Year-over-Year Sales Comparison by Price Point
area data at-a-glance
*All market data presented is courtesy of the Outer Banks Association of REALTORS MLS Single Family Residential, Jan 1 - Apr 30, 2025 and 2026.