Triangle Real Estate in Focus

We’re almost through the worst of the pollen, college basketball is over and The Masters is here, Spring has arrived in North Carolina!.

With the first quarter under our belts, our local real estate market shows sales volume pretty much in line with the same period last year. While housing inventory is up and prices have generally moderated a bit, sales momentum is stymied by economic uncertainty and resulting increases in mortgage rates and the price of gasoline.

Continuing the trend of Jan-Feb, sales prices were mixed with Cary and Durham down and Raleigh and Chapel Hill/Carrboro up. Here’s where we stand:

Jan-March 2026 average prices vs Jan-March 2025*:

CARY: $646K down 4%

DURHAM: $456K down 2%

RALEIGH: $537K up 1.5%

CHAPEL HILL/CARRBORO: $619K up 7%

Mortgage rates reversed their downward trend and are currently up more than 0.3% in a month to 6.46% for a 30 year loan and 5.85% for a 15 year loan. Forecasts continue to be in the 6-7% range for the year.

While we wait for signs of economic stability, our market continues to move towards a more balanced buyer-seller equation but with exceptions. WRAL recently interviewed local realtor Anne Godwin who summed it up well: “We’re seeing two very different realities at the same time, some buyers are negotiating excellent terms, buying below list price and walking into instant equity at closing. Other homes — especially well-priced, move-in ready homes in prime locations — are still attracting heavy traffic and multiple offers.”

So stay tuned and meanwhile enjoy the Spring weather!

Sources: 

Triangle MLS  4/9/26

bankrate.com 4/9/26

WRAL 3/3/26

* For perspective on the broader vs luxury market, property data includes sales of $2M or less