Last Updated on September 21, 2026 4:14 pm
The High Country real estate market, which includes Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties, had 191 closed sales of single-family properties, including condo and townhouse properties, in August 2026, with a combined closing total of $142.9 million. The median sales price across all four counties was $492,000 for the month, according to the High Country Association of Realtors' latest MLS report.
Nationally, existing home sales decreased 2.0% in August. Month-over-month sales remained steady in the West and declined in the Northeast, Midwest and South, while year-over-year sales were unchanged in the South and decreased in the Northeast, Midwest and West.
“It's not surprising to see a mild dip in the housing market due to higher mortgage rates,” said National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. Home prices are still rising, however, with existing home prices up 1.6% year-to-date through the first eight months of the year. Yun said homebuying demand is being supported by rising wages, which grew 3.1% in August, along with 643,000 net new jobs added since the start of the year.
Yun added that the number of months it would take to exhaust the total inventory at the current sales pace has grown to 4.9 months' supply, the highest level in more than a decade, giving homebuyers better opportunities to negotiate due to the ample supply of homes on the market.
Inventory: In August, the four-county region had 1,222 active single-family and condo/townhouse listings, down 1.5% compared to July, following 298 new listings, an increase of 1.0%, creating a 6.4-month supply for the month.
Land: The region closed sixty-one land sales in the month, with a median sales price of $99,900. There were 1,305 active land listings, with 112 new listings, resulting in a 21.4-month supply of land inventory.
Commercial: There were four active commercial properties listed in the High-Country Multiple Listings Service during August, with five commercial sales during the month totaling $2.2 million.
Watauga County: Watauga County reported ninety-five closed residential sales in August, a decrease of 1.0% from the prior month. The median sales price was $557,000, down 15.3% compared to July. There were 522 active residential properties in inventory, along with 135 new listings in August, down 4.3% compared to last month. The county saw twenty-two closed land sales with a median sales price of $46,000, with 452 active land listings and forty-three new land listings, creating a 20.5-month supply of land inventory.
Ashe County: There were thirty closed residential sales in August, down 41.2% from July. The county's median sales price was $404,500, up 7.9% from last month. There were 233 active residential properties, including sixty-four new listings. The county closed with twelve land sales, with a median sale price of $127,500, up significantly from last month.
Avery County: Avery County closed fifty-two residential properties for August, with a median sales price of $446,250, down 2.0% compared to July. There were 368 active residential properties in inventory, with seventy-one new listings compared to last month. Avery County closed twenty-two land sales in the month, with a median sales price of $227,500, a substantial increase compared to last month.
Alleghany County: Alleghany had fourteen closed sales in August, a decrease of 6.7% for the month. The county's median sales price for August was $424,000, a 24.7% increase compared to July, with ninety-nine active residential listings. There were also five land closings for the month with a median sales price of $175,000.
Figures are based on High-Country Multiple Listing Service information provided by the High Country Association of Realtors. Data is for informational purposes only and may not be accurate due to MLS reporting processes.
