# Was 2025 Really a Down Year for Outer Banks Real Estate?

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beach-road-banter-the-outer-banks-podcast-7100871/was-2025-really-a-down-year-for-outer-banks-real-estate.md
Podcast: [Beach Road Banter - The Outer Banks Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/beach-road-banter-the-outer-banks-podcast-7100871)
Published: 2026-01-30T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://5654a8d3-58bb-480b-9e36-476b4af51c51.libsyn.com/was-2025-really-a-down-year-for-outer-banks-real-estate
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/5654a8d3-58bb-480b-9e36-476b4af51c51/BRB044.mp3?dest-id=4800352
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Duration seconds: 2641

## Resource

As 2026 gets underway, I'm joined by Lynn, my local real estate colleague here on the Outer Banks, and together we take a look at what actually happened in the 2025 market. There's been plenty of talk that last year was a downturn, but when you look at the data, the picture is more stable than many people expect. Nationally, home prices rose modestly, inventory increased, and days on market moved higher, while total sales stayed near a 30-year low at roughly four million transactions, compared to the long-term average of five million. Here on the Outer Banks, residential sales increased about 3.6 percent year over year, median prices reached around $588,000, and total residential volume came in at just over $1.29 billion, even as homes took longer to sell. In this episode, Lynn and I walk through what those numbers mean for buyers and sellers, why longer days on market don't automatically mean prices are falling, and how pricing, inspections, and expectations are affecting today's deals. We also talk about what to expect in 2026, including inventory trends, insurance costs, rental performance, and how to approach the market realistically. In This Episode: [00:00] This is the 2026 kickoff episode with a market recap and forward-looking discussion. [01:16] Why perceptions of a "down market" don't always match what the data actually shows. [03:36] National 2025 stats reveal modest price growth, rising inventory, longer days on market, and total sales near a 30-year low. [06:29] The Outer Banks market tells a different story, with residential sales up 3.6 percent year over year. [06:54] Median home prices reached roughly $588,000, while total residential volume climbed to just over $1.29 billion. [08:08] Longer days on market are discussed as a key factor shaping buyer and…

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