High Country Real Estate Sees 191 Sales in August, Median Price Tops $490k

The High Country real estate market recorded 191 closed sales of single-family properties, including condos and townhouses, during August 2026. The four-county region, encompassing Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties, saw a combined closing total of $142.9 million for the month. According to the High Country Association of Realtors' latest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report, the median sales price across all four counties was $492,000.

Nationally, existing home sales experienced a 2.0% decrease in August. While month-over-month sales remained steady in the West, they declined in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. Year-over-year sales were unchanged in the South but decreased in the Northeast, Midwest, and West.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, commented on the broader market conditions. "It's not surprising to see a mild dip in the housing market due to higher mortgage rates," Yun stated. Despite the dip in sales, home prices continue to rise, with existing home prices up 1.6% year-to-date through the first eight months of the year. Yun indicated that homebuying demand is being supported by rising wages, which grew 3.1% in August, alongside the addition of 643,000 net new jobs since the start of the year.

Yun also noted an increase in housing inventory, with the number of months it would take to exhaust the total supply at the current sales pace reaching 4.9 months. This level is described as the highest in over a decade, potentially offering homebuyers better negotiation opportunities due to the ample supply of homes on the market.

Within the High Country region, August saw 1,222 active single-family and condo/townhouse listings, representing a 1.5% decrease compared to July. The area also registered 298 new listings, an increase of 1.0%, resulting in a 6.4-month supply for the month.

Beyond residential properties, the region closed sixty-one land sales in August, with a median sales price of $99,900. There were 1,305 active land listings and 112 new listings, creating a 21.4-month supply of land inventory. The commercial sector saw four active commercial properties listed in the High-Country Multiple Listing Service during August, with five commercial sales totaling $2.2 million for the month.

County-specific residential sales data reveals varied performance:

Watauga County reported ninety-five closed residential sales in August, marking a 1.0% decrease from the previous month. The median sales price in Watauga County was $557,000, down 15.3% compared to July. Active residential inventory included 522 properties, with 135 new listings in August, a 4.3% decrease from July. Watauga County also recorded twenty-two closed land sales with a median price of $46,000. Land inventory included 452 active listings and forty-three new listings, resulting in a 20.5-month supply.

Ashe County experienced thirty closed residential sales in August, a significant 41.2% decrease from July. The county's median sales price was $404,500, an increase of 7.9% from last month. There were 233 active residential properties, including sixty-four new listings. Ashe County closed with twelve land sales, with a median sale price of $127,500, described as up significantly from last month.

Avery County closed fifty-two residential properties for August, with a median sales price of $446,250, down 2.0% compared to July. Active residential inventory stood at 368 properties, with seventy-one new listings compared to last month. Avery County also 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 had fourteen closed residential sales in August, a decrease of 6.7% for the month. The county's median sales price for August was $424,000, which represented a 24.7% increase compared to July. There were ninety-nine active residential listings. Additionally, Alleghany County recorded five land closings for the month with a median sales price of $175,000.

All figures are based on High-Country Multiple Listing Service information provided by the High Country Association of Realtors. The data is provided for informational purposes only and may not be entirely accurate due to MLS reporting processes.