Wilmington Housing Market Edges Toward Balance
The September 2025 housing market for the Wilmington MSA shows signs of evening out after years of favoring sellers. Inventory peaked this month, while prices and sales activity leveled off, signaling a more balanced market ahead.
Key Highlights
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Active listings rose 7.5% from August to 4,332 homes, the highest level recorded in recent years and up 21% compared to September 2024.
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New listings dipped slightly (–2.5%) from the previous month but were 23% higher year-over-year, showing continued seller interest.
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Pending sales fell from August but were still 20% above last year’s numbers.
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Closed sales remained steady, down just 0.5% month-over-month, and up nearly 10% year-over-year with 1,017 closings.
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The median sales price held at $405,000, unchanged from last year but down 4.7% from August.
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Homes spent an average of 71 days on the market, slightly faster than last month but 20% longer than a year ago.
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Inventory supply rose to 4.3 months, up 11% from August — a sign of more options for buyers.
What It Means
According to CFR President Brittany Allen, the market is “inching closer to balance” as inventory grows and prices stabilize. Buyers now have more choices, while sellers need to stay realistic and competitive.
As fall and winter approach, activity is expected to cool slightly, but the market remains competitive across North Carolina.
On the national level, the U.S. housing market is showing signs of a slow but meaningful shift. Inventory is rising, mortgage rates remain elevated (around the 6% range) and price growth has flattened — the national median home value rose only modestly. Researchers note a mounting gap between sellers and buyers, which is giving more power back to buyers in some markets. In this context, the Wilmington MSA housing market is mirroring the national trend: its inventory has spiked, sales are steady but not rushing, and prices are holding rather than soaring. In other words, Wilmington is trending toward the broader U.S. pattern of a more balanced market — not overheated, not deeply depressed — which suggests it may offer buyers some breathing room and sellers some discipline.
