Real Estate Market Update
$2,220,469Current Average List Price (-1.42% from 2025) | 505Number of Active Listings (+5% from 2025) | 81New Listings in Aug. Avg. List Price of $1,869,490 (-16%) |
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Pending Sales
122 at an average list price of $2,278,938 (-9% from 2025)
Closed Sales for August
63 at an average closed price of $1,982,511 (+17% from 2025)
Type of Market
Balanced Market with a 10.31 month supply
The Last 12 Months
588 closed sales at an avg. price of $1,703,019
For Sale
343 Cullasaja Drive, Highlands, NC 28741
Main House | 2BD | 2.5BA | .55+/- Acres | Separate Duplex | Two 1BD & 1BA | $1,950,000
Mirror Lake views in a walkable Highlands location. The main home, once known as Cricket's Corner B&B, comes with a large fenced patio, plus a separate duplex with two 1-bedroom units for added income potential.
Listing Agent: Denise Boothby, 828-482-2434
YTD Market Evolution Since 2020
Year-to-Date | Average Sale Price | DOM | # Sold |
2020 | $685,227 | 222 | 555 |
2021 | $925,976 | 140 | 621 |
2022 | $1,166,939 | 122 | 459 |
2023 | $1,220,172 | 126 | 376 |
2024 | $1,481,230 | 147 | 423 |
2025 | $1,639,607 | 118 | 309 |
2026 | $1,805,938 | 99 | 348 |
Average sale prices have increased approximately 54.8% since 2022, reflecting continued demand for luxury mountain properties. Average days on market have also stabilized at 99 days, signaling a healthier and more balanced market.
More Choice. Stronger Prices. A More Selective Market.
The Highlands-Cashiers real estate market is entering fall in surprisingly strong shape. Buyers have considerably more choices than they did a few years ago, and negotiating leverage has returned. Yet prices remain strong, year-to-date sales are ahead of last year, and homes are actually selling faster. The result is a market becoming more balanced, not necessarily weaker.
Inventory has increased modestly from a year ago, while fewer new properties entered the market in August. Despite fewer transactions, the average August sale price approached $2 million, nearly 17% higher than August 2025.
The Bigger Story: 2026 Is Outperforming 2025
One month doesn't make a market, and the year-to-date numbers tell the real story. Through August, 348 properties have sold, versus approximately 309 during the same period last year, an increase of about 13%. The 2026 average sale price has reached approximately $1.81 million, about 10% above the comparable 2025 level. And despite more inventory to choose from, buyers are deciding faster, with average days on market falling to approximately 99, compared with 118 at this point last year. See what Mountain Life Properties has on the market across Highlands and Cashiers Plateau right now.
For Sale
141 Dolly Lane, Highlands, NC 28741
4BD | 3BA | 1.09+/- Acres | $1,125,000
Elevated, wooded privacy near Mirror Lake with one-level living, a covered deck and a 2-car garage, just minutes from downtown Highlands.
Listing Agent: John Sheehan, 404-790-9716
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 | 5 | $3,208,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
11 | $2,732,727 | 1 | $1,775,000 | 5 | $3,188,000 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $2,850,000 | |
6 | $1,763,167 | 2 | $1,851,450 | 1 | $2,495,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
21 | $2,786,569 | 14 | $2,121,890 | 32 | $3,112,156 | 6 | $3,190,000 | 11 | $2,627,000 | |
6 | $2,645,833 | 8 | $1,338,013 | 7 | $4,694,143 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $2,350,000 | |
3 | $2,874,629 | 3 | $3,228,000 | 4 | $4,411,250 | 0 | N/A | 2 | $4,750,000 | |
17 | $1,925,200 | 17 | $1,052,206 | 24 | $1,876,738 | 4 | $1,684,875 | 3 | $1,646,333 | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 1 | $5,900,000 | 1 | $5,995,000 | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 3 | $945,000 | 2 | $1,647,500 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 3 | $1,791,333 | 1 | $4,500,000 | 0 | N/A | |
5 | $1,625,456 | 3 | $1,950,000 | 3 | $2,950,000 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $2,995,000 | |
0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 1 | $985,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
0 | N/A | 4 | $747,500 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
For Sale
85&95 Ralph Thomas Road, Highlands, NC 28741
2 Homes | 5BD | 5BA | ±.97 Acres | $2,950,000
Two homes on approximately one acre near Mirror Lake, just 4 minutes from Main Street. Originally built by local craftsman Ralph Thomas, with a comprehensive 2020 renovation of the primary residence.
Listing Agent: Doug Treadwell, 828-482-2800
What's Changed?
The biggest shift is inventory. With 505 properties available and 10.31 months of supply, buyers have regained something they haven't had in years: choice. That doesn't make this a weak market, it's a more discriminating one. Highlands and Cashiers are seasonal, discretionary second-home markets where sellers often have less urgency than in traditional residential markets, and desirable homes in strong locations continue to attract buyers. The right price sells fast, while an overpriced property may sit.
What This Means: Guidance For Buyers And Sellers
Seller: Pricing matters again with 500+ competing listings. Presentation and realistic pricing matter more, though well-positioned homes still achieve strong values
Buyers: You have more negotiating leverage. Prices and YTD sales remain above 2025 levels. Best opportunities are likely property-specific: excessive days on market, deferred maintenance or motivated sellers. Have questions about a specific property or community? Talk to our team.
Our Fall Outlook: Expect the market to continue moving toward greater balance. Post-pandemic seller leverage has faded, but demand for quality mountain homes remains strong. Catch up on past Highlands and Cashiers market reports.
The Bottom Line: More inventory, more selective buyers, more negotiation, but continued strength for properties priced correctly. A healthier market for buyers and sellers who understand where the opportunities are.
Thinking about selling? Find out what your home is worth today.
Ready to buy? Browse our homes for sale in Highlands and Cashiers.
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