05/06/2026
April: Best Month of the Year on the OBX!
The real estate market was on fire in April and it was the strongest month of 2026 so far! It was also the first time this year that we saw double‑digit increases in both closed units and sales volume. With 158 closings, April delivered the highest number of monthly sales since last June!
Average Days on Market ticked up slightly to 70 days, but year‑to‑date properties are still selling faster overall (65 days vs. 74 last year).
Buyer activity was strong as well. 182 properties went under contract, a solid jump from 157 in March.
And despite today’s mortgage environment, buyers are clearly adapting — 70% of April’s residential sales were financed, and we even saw the return of the Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) as an option to reduce monthly payments.
April MLS Fun Facts
182 properties went under contract with an Average DOM of 65
233 properties took a price reduction in April
256 properties were listed compared to 285 the month before
Of the 255 new listings, 72 are either already under contract (70) or sold (2)
On average, property sold for 94% of the original asking price with 33 selling for 100% or higher.
46 of the 156 sales were cash transactions (29%). 14 were funded with a VA/FHA loan and most of the rest used conventional financing.
9 homes sold for over $2 Million, including an 18-bedroom oceanfront home in Kill Devil Hills which sold for $3,840,000.
28 single-family homes sold for less than $500k, including 12 priced below $400k
*Based on information from the Outer Banks Association of Realtors MLS 4.1.26 – 4.30.26 for residential property in Dare & Currituck County
Thanks to a strong surge in April closings, the market has narrowed the gap: units sold and total sales volume are now down less than 3% year‑to‑date, leaving plenty of time to potentially beat last year’s performance.
Pricing remains steady overall.
Average Sales Price: $754,015 — essentially flat year over year
Median Sales Price: $590,000 — down 8% year over year
On a national level, National Association of Realtors® Chief Economist Lawrence Yun recently revised his 2026 forecast to project that existing-home sales volume would rise 4% compared to last year, a sharp pullback from the 14% annual growth he predicted last fall.
“Rather than a double-digit percentage increase, which I thought would occur in 2026, I think it is going to be in the low single-digit percentage gain this year.”
So, how’s the local OBX market? It depends on which side of the table you’re on.
Dare County continues to lean toward sellers with a 5.1‑month supply of single‑family homes. Properties are selling for 94% of original list price, showing that well‑priced homes are still attracting solid offers.
Corolla, however, tells a different story. With a 7.8‑month supply of single‑family homes and homes selling for 93% of original list price, it remains a clear buyer’s market. Sellers need to price strategically, and depending on the starting price, buyers may have more room to negotiate.
The overview below shows real estate activity from January 2026 to April 2026. You will see data comparisons between April and the previous month, the last three months and April 2025
