Real Estate Market Update
$2,267,003Current Average List Price (+7.47% from 2025) | 525Number of Active Listings (up from 518 in 2025) | 78New Listings in July Avg. List Price of $1,992,670 (+9.78%) |
|---|
Pending Sales
111 at an average list price of $2,329,611 (+33.4% from 2025)
Closed Sales for July
55 at an average closed price of $1,945,206 (+33.9% from 2025)
Type of Market
Balanced Market with a 10.59 month supply
The Last 12 Months
595 closed sales at an avg. price of $1,672,023
Looking for Your Mountain Home?
See every property Mountain Life Properties currently has on the market across the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.
YTD Market Evolution Since 2020
Year-to-Date | Average Sale Price | DOM | # Sold |
2020 | $685,669 | 221 | 381 |
2021 | $894,748 | 147 | 535 |
2022 | $1,140,609 | 128 | 394 |
2023 | $1,175,488 | 128 | 293 |
2024 | $1,490,714 | 131 | 346 |
2025 | $1,611,149 | 122 | 241 |
2026 | $1,774,817 | 100 | 283 |
Average sale prices have increased approximately 156% since 2022, reflecting continued demand for luxury mountain properties. Average days on market have also stabilized at 100 days, signaling a healthier and more balanced market.
Highlands & Cashiers Real Estate Market Report: August 2026
The Highlands-Cashiers housing market remains steady, with inventory holding firm and pricing continuing to climb. Active listings closed July at 525, essentially unchanged from June, with months of supply at 10.6. Rolling closed sales over the past year are up nearly 17%.
New listings eased to 78 in July from 97 in June, though the average asking price for new inventory stayed strong at $1.99 million. Current inventory carries an average list price of $2.27 million, up 7.5% from July 2025.
Pending sales held steady at 111, with the average pending price surging to $2.33 million, one of the highest monthly averages ever recorded on the Plateau. Closed sales climbed to 55, up from 33 in July 2025, at an average price of $1.95 million, a 34% increase year over year. Homes are also moving faster, averaging 100 days on market compared to 122 a year ago.
Over the last 12 months, 595 homes sold at an average price of $1.67 million, up 5.6% from last year. Year to date, the average sale price stands at $1.77 million, continuing a run of appreciation that has taken the Plateau's average sale price from $686,000 in 2020 to nearly $1.8 million today. See what Mountain Life Properties has on the market across Highlands and Cashiers Plateau right now.
Six years of steady gains have taken the Plateau's average sale price to nearly $1.8 million, up roughly 2.6 times since 2020.
Communities | Sold YTD 2026 | Avg. Sold Price YTD 2026 | Sold 2025 | Avg. Sold Price 2025 | New/Active Listings | Avg. List Price | In Due Diligence | Avg. List Price in DD | Pending | Avg. List Price for Pending |
2 | $3,125,000 | 2 | $1,169,750 | 6 | $3,290,000 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $1,695,000 | |
8 | $2,815,625 | 1 | $1,775,000 | 4 | $3,486,250 | 2 | $2,742,500 | 1 | $2,850,000 | |
6 | $1,763,167 | 2 | $1,851,450 | 1 | $2,495,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
18 | $2,889,886 | 13 | $2,144,443 | 31 | $3,092,000 | 7 | $1,881,429 | 10 | $2,545,500 | |
6 | $2,645,833 | 5 | $1,347,820 | 6 | $5,273,333 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $2,350,000 | |
3 | $2,874,629 | 2 | $2,592,000 | 6 | $4,299,167 | 1 | $4,650,000 | 0 | N/A | |
14 | $1,964,171 | 10 | $976,000 | 25 | $1,618,328 | 5 | $1,318,798 | 2 | $2,372,500 | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 4 | $4,961,250 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 2 | $912,500 | 2 | $1,647,500 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 3 | $1,875,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
4 | $1,845,570 | 2 | $1,825,000 | 2 | $3,197,500 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $795,000 | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 3 | $730,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
For Sale
4435 Flat Mountain Road, Highlands, NC 28741
3BD | 2BA | 33.35+/- Acres | $2,200,000
Listing Agents: Doug Treadwell, 828-482-2800 | Heather Ball, 828-200-7231
What This Means: Guidance For Buyers And Sellers
The remainder of the 2026 season is shaping up to favor informed buyers and realistic sellers.
- More inventory provides greater selection
- Negotiating leverage has improved
- Premium properties continue to command premium prices
- Pricing strategy is increasingly important
- Well-presented homes continue to sell quickly
- Overpriced listings are remaining on the market longer as buyers have more alternatives
Bottom Line
The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau is transitioning from a seller's market toward a healthier, more balanced one. Buyers have more choices, but demand for exceptional mountain homes remains strong, and values continue to appreciate. Quality properties that are properly priced continue to sell well. As the market moves through late summer and fall, expect steady demand, disciplined pricing, and continued strength in the luxury segment, with local market knowledge and accurate pricing key to success. Catch up on past Highlands and Cashiers market reports.
Curious what your home could sell for in today's market? Contact us for a complimentary valuation.
Ready to buy? Browse our homes for sale in Highlands and Cashiers.
