obx sandbar living monthly market update

🦃 Hello November from the Outer Banks!


As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, the Outer Banks takes on a cozy kind of magic. It’s the season for beach walks in sweaters, quiet sunsets, and gathering with family and friends to give thanks for this beautiful place we call home. The real estate market is still moving, and it’s a great time to plan ahead for 2026—whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or simply keeping an eye on trends. Read on for the the latest market data, shifts we’re seeing by area, and what it all means for your next move.

-Danielle

Outer Banks Real Estate Market-at-a-Glance for YTD 2025

Sold and Under Contract Analysis

SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL:

  • YTD residential sales units are up 2.4% versus YTD 2024 

  • YTD residential sales dollars are down 2.1% vs. YTD 2024 

  • YTD median sale price is $699,900, down 2% vs. YTD 2024 (meaning that half of the properties sold above $699,900 and half sold below that price)

  • YTD average sale price is $852,938, down 4.4% vs. YTD 2024

  • October 2025 residential sales units were up 4.7% versus October 2024

  • Sales units October ‘25 over September ‘25 were up 12%   

    • New listing inventory for October was up 10% versus September

  • As a comparison, new listings for October ‘25 were up 21% versus October ‘24

  • October residential sales volume vs. September was flat (up less than 1%)

  • Active listings are down 2.4% versus September

  • October was a strong month relative to both the month prior and last year when it comes to sold units. The median sold prices are down slightly in both instances, and the days on market continue to trend longer, both month-over-month and year-over-year. Instances of multiple offers are relatively flat; however, the number of cash sales are lagging 3-4% month-over-month and year-over-year.

  • As mentioned above, multiple offer situations still occur; however, most of these instances occur after one or more price reductions and/or longer days on market. These situations are heavily influenced 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 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. While it may be tempting to wait until the spring market to list, there are great reasons to get your home on the market and in front of buyers soon than later!

  • 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!

    Now, let's look at month-over-month:

  • Median sale price for all Residential property sold in the month of October was $665,000, down almost 13% versus September ‘25. 

  • October 2025's median sale price was down almost 5% versus October 2024.     

  • October ‘25 vs. October ‘24, residential properties sold 45.8% slower.

  • We’re seeing a reduction in cash buyers (down 3%) and disclosed multiple offers (down 1%) 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 are down 9% versus YTD 2024. 

  • YTD residential land sales dollars are down 6% versus YTD 2024. 

  • YTD residential land median sold price is $152,500, flat (up less than 1%) versus YTD 2024. 

  • October residential land sales units were up 108% compared to October ‘24. 

  • October residential land sales units were up 19% versus September ‘25. 

  • October residential land sales dollars were up 100% versus October ‘24. 

  • October residential land sales dollars were up 12% versus September ‘25.

inventory analysis

  • New listing inventory for October 2025 was up 21% versus October 2024 and up almost 10% versus September’s new listings.

    • Drilling down, 155 new residential listings hit the market in October 2025, with 31% of those properties already sold or under contract.

    • Average days on market for these is 7; median days on market is 6 (the new, good inventory is still moving fast!).

    • 4 of those listings have already closed as of 10/31; 50% were cash purchases and 1 sale disclosed multiple offers (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 2025

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 October was 86, selling 32.3% slower than September’s average of 65 days. 

    • As demonstrated in our pricing analysis chart below, we’re seeing increased days on market across the board in all pricing categories on a year-over-year basis.

  • The average home sold 45.8% slower in October 2025 (86 days) versus October 2024 (59 days).   

  • The Median days on market in October was 61, meaning that half of the sold units did so in 61 days or less. 

  • Year over year, the average DOM for properties sold in 2025 is 72 (up from 53 days YTD 2024), meaning that the average property sold 36% slower than one year ago. 

  • Average days on market for all current ACTIVE residential listings is 121 days (flat - up less than 1% - versus September)

  • Month-over-month, the average days on market for Under Contract properties is 69 days (down 7% vs 73 days in September 2025). 

  • 31% of properties listed in October have already gone under contract or sold with an average days on market of 7. 

  • 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 was 1 sold unit in October ‘25 (flat to October 2024). There was 1 active distressed unit as of October 31, 2025.

Year-Over-Year Market Comparison

pricing analysis

Residential Median Sale Price for YTD 2025 was $699,900, which was 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 - Oct 31, 2024 and 2025.


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