Last Updated on August 7, 2026 5:40 pm
The High Country Real Estate Market, which consists of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties, had 209 closed sales of single-family properties, including condo/townhouse properties, during July 2026, with a combined closing total of $150.4 million. The median sales price of $470,000 included all four counties for July 2026.
Nationally
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the latest quarterly report showed home prices increased 80% in the metro area sales during the second quarter of 2026, which represented a 71% increase from the first quarter. In addition, the national median single-family existing-home price rose 1.5% year-over-year to $434,900, up from 0.5% annual growth in the first quarter. Home sales also rose despite increasing mortgage rates, according to NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun, who testifies to the potential housing demand building up from steady job and income gains. In turn, sales rose in three of the four major regions, with the South leading the way due to faster job growth. Yet, in the Northeast region, affordability was an issue due partly to slower job growth and faster-appreciating home prices. Twenty percent of markets experienced declining home prices, decreasing 27% from last quarter and 24% down from last year. Thus, first-time buyers are typically paying a $2,158 monthly mortgage payment for a starter home valued at $369,700 with a 10% down payment, which is estimated to be a $214 increase from last quarter and a $49 decrease from last year.
Inventory
In July 2026, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga Counties had 1,214 active single-family and condo/townhouse listings, slightly down 0.3% compared to June 2026, following an additional 294 new listings, a decrease of 9.8%, creating a supply of 5.8 for the month.
Land
Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga closed with fifty-four land sales in July 2026, with a median sales price of $108,750, up 40.4% from June 2026. There were 1,314 active land listings, with 155 new listings, up 25.0% from last month, resulting in a 24.3-month supply of inventory for July 2026.
Commercial
There were four active commercial properties listed in the High-Country Multiple Listings Service during June 2026, with two commercial sales during the month of July 2026 totaling $3.3 million.
Alleghany County
Alleghany had fifteen closed sales in July 2026, which decreased by 16.7% for the month. The county's median sales price for July 2026 was $340,000, a 4.8% increase compared to June 2026, with ninety-six active residential listings, a 3.0% decrease from June 2026. Additionally, there were four land closings for the month with a median sales price of $223,500, up a significant amount of 35.5% from last month, along with 229 active land listings and seventeen new listings, leaving a 57.2% month's supply of inventory for land.
Ashe County
There were fifty-one closed residential sales in July 2026, up 30.8% from June 2026. The county's median sales price is $375,000, a decrease of 24.2% from last month. In addition, there were 227 active residential properties, including fifty-five new listings, reflecting a 23.6% decrease from June 2026. The county closed with thirteen land sales, with a median sale price of $35,900, down 40.2% compared to last month. With 306 active listings and thirty-five new listings in July 2026, representing a decrease of 18.6% compared to last month, there is a 23.5-month supply of inventory for land.
Avery County
Avery County closed with forty-seven residential properties for July 2026, with a median sales price of $484,000 for the month, down 21.5% compared to June 2026. In addition, there were 371 active residential properties in inventory, with seventy-six new listings compared to last month. Avery County also closed fourteen land sales in July 2026, with a median sales price of $112,500, a decrease of 47.3% compared to last month. There are 331 active listings, with forty-five new listings, resulting in a 23.6-month supply of land inventory.
Watauga County
Watauga County reported ninety-six closed residential sales in the month of July 2026, an increase of 17.1% from the prior month. Median sales were $657,500, a 7.0% increase compared to June 2026. There were 520 active residential properties in inventory, along with 141 new listings in July 2026, down 11.3% compared to last month. There were twenty-three closed land sales for Watauga County with a median sales price of $137,250, a significant increase of 166.5% for July 2026, with 448 active land listings and fifty-eight new land listings in July 2026, creating a 19.5-month supply of land inventory.
Disclaimer: Figures are based on the High-Country Multiple Listing Service information. Data is for informational purposes only and may not be accurate due to MLS reporting processes. This data reflects a specific point in time and cannot be used in perpetuity due to the fluctuating nature of markets.
Report graphics generated from Domus Analytics pulled from the HCAR Web API feed. HCAR Realtor® members can access these detailed and customizable reports and graphics for professional use by logging into the HCAR dashboard. A public graphic is available on their website homepage at highcountryrealtors.org.
