Genevieve’s 2025 Real Estate Market Recap
How’s the 2025 Charlotte real estate market? In one word: STRANGE.
We’ve been busy, to say the least, but it’s definitely been an unusual year and an even more unusual fall season. Right now, buyers think it’s a Buyer’s Market and sellers are convinced it’s a Seller’s Market. The truth? It’s a little bit of both.
Some homes are flying off the market with multiple offers and fierce bidding wars, while others are sitting for weeks (or even months!) with steep price reductions and little to no activity. Today’s market is really about finding the right buyer for the right home.
We’re also seeing more deals fall apart before closing this year. Buyers are walking away from hefty due diligence fees – sometimes for very valid reasons, sometimes for no clear reason at all.
One thing that hasn’t changed in 2025: cash is still king. Nearly 40% of our firm’s sales this year have been cash deals, compared to about 30% all-cash deals across the greater Charlotte area.
Available housing has risen to about three months’ supply, which still technically qualifies as a Seller’s Market, but is more inventory than we have seen for some time. For perspective, a year ago we were sitting at roughly two months of inventory, and just after COVID, Charlotte had barely a month’s worth!
Overall, the market is trending much like last year, though the rhythm feels off. Fall has been more hectic than spring and, while price growth has cooled, Charlotte home values are still up about 3% year-over-year. Sellers are waiting longer for offers and negotiating more and buyers finally have the luxury of taking a moment to think before acting. Buyers even have the time to go back to a listing for a second showing, which has been unheard of in recent years.
Affordability remains one of Charlotte’s biggest challenges in 2025. COVID reshaped Charlotte’s housing landscape, and that shift isn’t reversing anytime soon. With roughly 214 people moving to the region every single day, finding affordable housing in one of the South’s fastest-growing cities will remain a long-term hurdle.
Affordability is also a big obstacle for first-time homebuyers. Nationally, the share of first-time homebuyers dropped to a record low of 21%, while the typical age of of first-time buyers climbed to an all-time high at 40 years old. For those first timers who did make the leap to buy in the Queen City this year, we saw more instances of personal financial gifts and support. The latest data shows around 40% of first-time buyers received some form of financial help from family.
Despite the headwinds, this holiday season is shaping up to be a busy one for our team – and we don’t see that momentum fading as we head into 2026! If this pace continues, the Charlotte real estate market could be in for an exciting spring.
With more than 20 years of experience navigating every kind of market, my team and I are always here to help you make confident, informed housing decisions. Have questions about what’s ahead? Let’s talk! We are happy to guide you through your options and next steps.
— Genevieve