December 2021 sales and yearend wrap-up for the Charlotte region

Alexander County home sales were on par with last year, rising slightly, 0.6 percent year-over-year as 346 homes were sold in 2021 versus 344 that sold in 2020. Pending sales for the year showed that 372 homes went under contract during the year, an increase of 10.4 percent over 2020’s pending contract activity, which shows buyer demand is steady in this county. New listings also ended the year on a high note, rising 11 percent year-over-year as sellers brought 402 homes to market during the year compared to 362 on market in 2020. Prices were pressured by inventory amidst high demand for most of the year.  The average sales price for all of 2021 was $262,949, an increase of 8.9 percent over 2020, while the median sales price for all of 2021 was $217,000 and rose 19.2 percent over last year’s median. The average list price for the year was $283,405 and it was 6 percent higher than the average list price in 2020.  Inventory in December 2021 totaled 27 homes or 0.9 months of supply, which is 27 days of supply at the current pace.  The original list price to sales price measure ended the year at 98.2 percent, which means that sellers on average received nearly all of asking prices last year, while their homes were enjoyed faster days on market, averaging 22 days until sale.

Anson County home sales totaled 171 homes sold by years end, an increase of 26.7 percent over closed sales in 2020. Pending contracts for the year showed that buyers drove 185 homes under contract last year versus 144 homes in under contract status at yearend 2020. New listing activity showed sellers active in Anson last year, listing 214 homes for sale versus 131 homes newly listed in 2020, an increase of 63.4 percent year-over-year.  Both the median sales price for all of 2021 ($135,000) and the average sales price ($156,680) rose 8.1 percent and 8.8 percent year-over-year respectively. Inventory in Anson showed a 44.4 percent year-over-year increase in December 2021, with 26 homes for sale at report time or 1.7 months of supply. The average list price for all of 2021 was $170,395 an increase of 6.5 percent over list prices last year. At yearend the original list price to sale price ratio showed sellers received 94.9 percent of asking prices. Days on market for the year showed homes averaged 34 days on market until sale in 2021. 

Cabarrus County home sales for all of 2021 rose 3.9 percent year-over-year as 4,327 homes sold versus 4,166 homes sold in all of 2020. Pending sales show buyer demand will be steady, ending the year 8.1 percent ahead of last year with 4,525 homes going under contract versus 4,187 homes in under contract status in 2020. Buyers will see the 7.1 percent year-over-year increase in new listings as a welcome sign headed into the new year, as sellers brought 4,807 homes to market in 2021 compared to 4,490 homes listed in 2020.  Prices at year end are up by double-digits due to tight inventory.  Inventory at report time showed 165 homes for sale or 0.4 months of supply, which is approximately 12 days of supply at the current pace. At year end the median sales price was $320,000, representing a 19.4 percent year-over-year increase and the average sales price was $341,222 representing an 18.6 percent year-over-year increase. The original list price to sales price ratio showed sellers received 100.3 percent of asking prices in 2021, while their homes averaged 15 days on market until sale. 

Catawba County home sales at yearend 2021 totaled 2,439, an increase of 17.4 percent year-over-year, while pending contract activity rose 20.7 percent over 2020, with 2,560 homes under contract for the year. New listings were positive and rose 16.9 percent over activity in 2020, with 2,792 homes listed in last year.  The 2021 median sales price was $237,000, an increase of 15.6 percent year-over-year while the average sales price was $303,555 for all of 2021, an increase of 12.8 percent year-over-year. The average list price rose 9.6 percent over the average list price in 2020 to end the year at $314,888. Inventory is tight and at report time showed 146 homes for sale or 0.7 months of supply which is 21 days of supply at the current pace. Sellers in Catawba last year received 99.1 percent of asking price according to the original list price to sales price ratio, while homes sold quickly, averaging 21 days on market until sale. 

Cleveland County home sales at yearend 2021 totaled 1,151, representing an increase of 33.7 percent compared to home sales in 2020. Pending contract activity was also positive and ahead of 2020 by 28 percent year-over-year, with 1,189 contracts written during the year.  New listing activity showed sellers active in 2021, listing 1,353 homes for sale, 300 more than was listed in all of 2020, representing an increase of 28.5 percent year-over-year. The 2021 median sales price was $208,250, an increase of 25.3 percent year-over-year and the 2021 average sales price was $231,078, an increase of 21.5 percent year-over-year.  The average list price for all of 2021 was $252,304 an increase of 27.8 percent compared to the previous year. Inventory in December 2021 rose 4.7 percent and totaled 134 homes for sale or 1.4 months of supply. The original list price to sales price measure showed sellers in Cleveland County received 98.2 percent of asking prices last year, while homes averaged 27 days on market until sale.

Gaston County home sales totaled 4,470 at yearend, an increase of 14.9 percent over sales in 2020. Pending sales representing buyer demand in the market totaled 4,449 at yearend, and increased 8.3 percent over contracts written in 2020. Sellers brought 4,764 homes to market in 2021 an increase of 8.8 percent over new listings for all of 2020. All price indices rose by double digits due to tight inventory which fell in December 2021, leaving 230 homes for sale at report time or 0.6 months of supply (18 days of supply). The 2021 median sales price was $260,000 an increase of 19.8 percent over 2020’s median, while the average sales price for all of 2021 was $285,528, an increase of 17.7 percent over 2020’s average sales price. Sellers received all of asking price and more according the original list price to sales price measure of 100.5 percent for the year, while homes sold quickly, averaging 22 days on market until sale. 

Iredell County home sales at yearend totaled 4,191 and rose 10.1 percent over homes sold in all of 2020.  Pending home sales which point to buyer demand and predict future sales, rose 4.1 percent year-over-year as 4,158 homes went under contract during the year versus 3,994 under contract at yearend 2020. New listings at yearend rose 4.6 percent year over year and totaled 4,464 versus 4,268 that were newly listed in 2020. The 2021 median sales price rose 15.3 percent over 2020’s median, to $340.000, while the 2021 average sales price rose 11.3 percent year-over-year to $419,566.  The 2021 average list price of $440,725 was 10.5 percent higher than the 2020 average list price. Inventory at report time showed 269 homes for sale or 0.8 months of supply (approximately 24 days of supply). Sellers received most of asking prices throughout 2021 as indicated by the original list price to sales price ratio of 100.5 percent at year end, while days on market showed homes sold quickly last year, averaging 22 days on market until sale.

Lincoln County’s home sales at yearend 2021 rose 14.8 percent as 1,878 homes sold last year versus 1,636 homes that sold in 2020.  Pending sales showed buyer demand steady, ending the year 10.5 percent higher than 2020 with 1,933 homes going under contract.  New listings were up by 1.9 percent over 2020, as sellers brought 1,988 homes to market versus 1,951 listed in 2020.  Inventory at report time in December was tight and totaled 134 homes for sale or 0.8 months of supply (24 days of supply). The 2021 median sales price of $348,362 was 13.1 percent higher than 2020’s median, while the 2021 average sales price of $389,751 was 11.1 percent higher than 2020’s average sales price. The 2021 average list price rose 13.2 percent over 2020 to $411,385. Sellers enjoyed receiving all of asking prices for their homes in 2021 as indicated by the original list price to sales price measure averaging 100.1. Days on market at yearend 2021 showed homes averaged 30 days on market until sale over the course of the year versus 33 days for all of 2020. 

Mecklenburg County home sales in 2021 totaled 23,212 sales at yearend, an increase of 5.8 percent over the number of closed sales in 2020. Pending contracts for the year totaled 23,540 an increase of 3.5 percent over the number of contracts written in 2020, while new listing activity, though positive, was mostly unchanged compared to last year rising 0.9 percent year-over-year as 24,918 homes were listed across the county in 2021.  The 2021 median sales price of $355,000 represents an 18.3 percent year-over-year increase over 2020’s median sales price, while the 2021 average sales price of $440,275 increased 17.4 percent year-over-year compared to 2020’s average.  The 2021 average list price of $454,020 is 12.1 percent higher than last year’s average list price. Inventory at report time was down 47.5 percent leaving 1,011 homes for sale in December or 0.5 months of supply (15 days of supply at the current sales pace). Sellers in Mecklenburg in 2021 received all of asking price and then some, as indicated by the original list price to sales price ratio at 101.3 percent at yearend. Sellers also enjoyed faster days on market in 2021, as homes averaged 19 days on market until sale in 2021 versus 23 days on market in 2020. 

Rowan County ended 2021 with 2,266 total closed sales, an 18.4 percent increase over closed sales in 2020, while pending contracts show buyers strong desire for homes in Rowan last year, as contracts were up 14.5 percent year-over-year as 2,338 contracts were written in 2021.  Buyers will like that new listing activity was strong last year, as 2,525 homes were added to market, an increase of 12.1 percent over 2020 new listings. However, inventory was critical at report time, showing 128 homes for sale or 0.7 months of supply (21 days of supply at the current pace). Low inventory pressured prices last year, which at year end are still somewhat affordable, hence the demand.  The 2021 median sales price of $222,000 increased 16.8 percent year-over-year while the 2021 average sales price of $246,366 increased 17.2 percent year-over-year. The average list price for all of 2021 was $256,768, which is an increase of 14.7 percent over the 2020 average list price. This brought the original list price to sales price ratio for the county to 98.7 percent, showing sellers receiving almost all of asking price during 2021. Homes sold quickly last year, as indicated by homes being on market an average of 20 days in 2021 compared to 36 days in 2020. 

Stanly County ended the year with closed sales up 19.8 percent year-over-year as 964 homes sold in 2021 compared to 805 in 2020. Pending sales shows buyers increasing desire for homes in Stanly County, as contract activity at year end was up 23 percent over 2020 with 1,010 homes going under contract last year. Sellers listed 1,094 homes for sale in 2021, an increase of 26.2 percent year-over-year, which should help buyers with more choice over the next month. Buyers enjoyed Stanly County’s affordability in 2021, as the median sales price for 2021 topped $225,750 an increase of 18.8 percent year-over-year, while the average sales price of $256,939 increased 19.2 percent over 2020’s average sales price. The 2021 average list price of $278,273 increased 21.7 percent over 2020’s average list price. Affordability could be threatened in 2022 as indicated by falling inventory at report time that showed 67 homes for sale or 0.8 months of supply (approximately 24 days of supply). The original list price to sales price ratio in 2021 reached 98.6 percent showing sellers receiving nearly all of asking prices in 2021, while homes sold quickly as indicated by days on market, which showed homes averaged 24 days on market until sale in 2020.

Union County at yearend showed 5,008 homes sold across the county in 2021, representing a 4.6 percent year-over-year increase, while pending contract activity throughout the year showed how desirable the county is to buyers. Contract activity for all of 2021 rose 5.7 percent over 2020, with 5,198 homes going under contract last year.  New listing activity was also positive at yearend, rising 6.4 percent over new listing activity in 2020 with 5,553 homes listed for sale. Inventory is challenged. Inventory showed 195 homes on market at report time or 0.5 months of supply, which is 15 days of supply at the current sales pace. Tight supply pressured prices for most of the year.  The 2021 median sales price of $379,000 increased 13.2 percent over 2020’s median sales price, while the average sales price of $456,151 represents a 15.9 percent year-over-year increase. The average list price is 13.4 percent higher than 2020’s average list price, ending the year at $468,117.  This brought the original list price to sales price measure to 101.9 percent for all of 2021, showing sellers in Union receiving all of asking price and more last year. Home sales were brisk, as indicated by days on market, which showed homes averaged 16 days on market until sale compared to 35 days on market in 2020. 

Chester County, S.C., ended 2021 with 258 homes sold, an increase of 16.2 percent year-over-year while pending sales at yearend showed buyer demand was strong last year, with 274 homes going under contract in 2020.  New listing activity shows seller confidence rising, as 335 new listings entered the market in 2021 versus 242 that were newly listed for all of 2020. Inventory at report time showed 43 homes for sale or 1.9 months of supply in December. Prices in Chester are relatively affordable.  The 2021 median sales price of $174,500 rose 5.8 percent year-over-year while the 2021 average sales price of $212,283 rose 15.5 percent over 2020’s average sales price. The average list price for all of 2021 rose 17.6 percent year-over-year to $226,721. Sellers in Chester received nearly all of asking price, as indicated by the original list price to sales price ratio of 97.6 percent in 2021.  Days on market until sale in 2021 showed homes sold quickly and averaged 28 days on market until sale versus 47 days on market in 2020. 

Chesterfield County, S.C., home sales ended the year on a positive note with closings up 58.1 percent with 136 homes sold in 2021 versus 86 sold in 2020. Pending sales for the year were up 26.9 percent as buyers went under contract with 132 properties in 2021 versus 104 in 2020. Meanwhile new listings rose 42.2 percent for the year as sellers brought 165 properties on market during 2021. Inventory at year end rose 18.2 percent and shows the county approaching buyer’s market conditions, with 3.5 months of supply in December 2021.  Prices are affordable as both the median sales price ($185,400) and the average sales price ($205,552) rose 26.3 percent and 41.9 percent year-over-year respectively over prices in 2020.  Buyers seeking homes in Chesterfield, will enjoy a slower pace of sales as indicated by days on market, which averaged 52 days in 2021 versus 100 days in 2020. Chesterfield County is poised to continue with a moderate pace of growth, as demand from buyers, possibly commuting between Columbia, SC and Charlotte enjoy an easy drive along I-77. Canopy MLS data. 

Lancaster County, S.C.’s at yearend showed sales down 2.4 percent year-over-year with 2,231 homes sold in 2021 versus 2,285 homes sold in 2020.  Pending sales were also down by 14.6 percent year-over-year, showing buyer demand has declined in the county compared to last year, as only 2,107 homes went under contract last year. This means that sales over the next few months may be down as well, as buyers are fatigued by Lancaster’s growing lack of affordability and tight supply, which showed 102 home for sale at year end or 0.6 months of supply (18 days of supply). Inventory impacted prices last year and 2022 will be no different. Both 2021 the median sales price ($365,000) and the 2021 average sales price ($379,159) rose 12.3 percent and 15.6 percent year-over-year respectively, while the 2021 average list price rose 11 percent over 2020’s average list price to $384,884. Sellers received all of asking prices and more in 2021, as indicated by the original list price to sales price ratio topping 100.7 percent. Homes sold quickly, as indicated by days on market, which showed homes averaged 20 days on market in 2021 versus 46 days on market in 2020. 

York County, S.C., home sales ended the year positively with sales up slightly, 6.6 percent with 5,983 homes sold in 2021.  Pending sales at yearend rose 1.5 percent as 6,009 homes went under contract in 2021, which shows buyer demand was similar to the previous year. New listing activity at year end 2021 rose 3 percent year-over-year as sellers listed 6,400 homes for sale in 2021 compared to 6,214 listed in 2020. Inventory at report time declined 25.5 percent leaving 325 homes for sale or 0.6 months of supply which is approximately 18 days of supply. Both the median sales price ($326,865) and the average sales price ($372,555) for all of 2021, rose 13.1 percent and 15.3 percent year-over-year respectfully, while the average list price for all of 2021 rose 14.4 percent to $382,283.  Sellers in York received all of asking prices and more, as indicated by the original list price to sales price ratio topping 101.1 in 2021. The market moved much faster than in 2020, as days on market in 2021 showed homes averaged 17 days on market until sale versus 34 days on market in 2020.


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Original Publish Date: 1/13/2022