Real Estate Market Update
$2,291,587Current Average List Price (+11% from 2025) | 453Number of Active Listings (up from 377 in 2025) | 126New Listings in April Avg. List Price of $2,116,610 (-8.4%) |
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Pending Sales
68 at an average list price of $1,841,622 (-3.5% from 2025)
Closed Sales for April
33 at an average closed price of $2,072,045 (+26.5% from 2025)
Type of Market
Balanced Market with a 9.74 month supply
The Last 12 Months
558 closed sales at an avg. price of $1,629,051
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 | $673,059 | 240 | 164 |
2021 | $869,887 | 160 | 277 |
2022 | $1,007,631 | 118 | 220 |
2023 | $1,168,663 | 149 | 132 |
2024 | $1,278,325 | 129 | 173 |
2025 | $1,626,391 | 135 | 135 |
2026 | $1,749,264 | 113 | 142 |
Average sale prices have increased approximately 160% since 2020, reflecting continued demand for luxury mountain properties. Average days on market have also stabilized at 113 days, signaling a healthier and more balanced market.
Highlands & Cashiers Real Estate Market Report: May 2026
The Highlands and Cashiers real estate market continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and strength as we move deeper into 2026. While inventory levels have expanded significantly compared to the ultra-constrained markets of recent years, pricing in the luxury segment remains exceptionally strong, driven by continued demand for mountain lifestyle properties, second homes, and legacy estates.
Inventory Continues to Rise
The number of active listings increased to 453 properties in April 2026, up from 377 listings in April 2025, representing a substantial increase in available inventory year-over-year.
This increase in inventory has shifted the market toward a more balanced environment, with months of supply rising to 9.74 months, compared to 7.83 months one year ago. Buyers now have more options and greater negotiating leverage than during the peak seller's market conditions experienced over the past several years.
Despite this shift, demand for well-positioned luxury homes remains healthy. See what Mountain Life Properties has on the market across Highlands and Cashiers Plateau right now.
Market Conditions Remain Favorable
Pricing and buyer activity continue to reflect strength in the luxury market throughout Highlands and Cashiers. Sellers remain confident in long term market values despite increased competition, while pending sales activity indicates qualified buyers are still actively pursuing properly priced and well marketed homes.
Communities | Sold YTD 2026 | Avg. Sold Price YTD 2026 | Sold 2025 | Avg. Sold Price 2025 | New/Active Listings | Avg. List Price | In Due Diligence (DD) | Avg. List Price for In DD | Pending | Avg. List Price for Pending |
5 | $2,925,000 | 1 | $1,775,000 | 3 | $3,466,667 | 1 | $1,950,000 | 1 | $2,850,000 | |
Big Sheepcliff | 0 | N/A | 1 | $1,192,500 | 7 | $3,353,429 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
Golf Club Estates | 2 | $1,664,500 | 1 | $1,860,000 | 1 | $2,495,000 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $1,550,000 |
Town of Highlands/Bear Pen/Bowery | 8 | $3,319,563 | 9 | $2,334,195 | 30 | $3,101,500 | 5 | $2,968,800 | 9 | $2,756,111 |
2 | $2,200,000 | 3 | $1,231,667 | 4 | $3,899,875 | 0 | N/A | 3 | $3,598,333 | |
Highlands Cove (& The Cottages) | 0 | N/A | 2 | $2,592,000 | 2 | $5,222,500 | 0 | N/A | 1 | $3,595,000 |
Lake Glenville Area | 6 | $2,344,167 | 3 | $980,000 | 24 | $1,998,163 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
Ravenel (& Ravenel Ridge) | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 4 | $5,411,250 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
3 | $2,094,093 | 0 | N/A | 3 | $930,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | |
Wildwood Forest | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 1 | $1,075,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
Wildwood Mountain | 0 | N/A | 2 | $800,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 1 | $625,000 |
Satulah Ridge | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 1 | $795,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
Sunset Hills | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 3 | $1,950,000 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
For Sale
6507 Dillard Road, Scaly Mountain, NC 28775
$6,250,000 | 211.67+/- Acres
Unrestricted, high-elevation acreage in Scaly Mountain with approximately 800 feet of Highway 106 frontage.
Listing Agent: David Parker, 828-734-0565
What This Means: Guidance For Buyers And Sellers
The market is clearly bifurcated, with both new listings and pending sales averaging over $2M and activity concentrated at the top. Luxury buyers from major metros continue to drive demand for turnkey and club community homes, largely insulated from mortgage rate sensitivity.
You remain in a strong pricing environment, with list prices above $2.3M and a 12-month average sale price over $1.6M confirming it. But the rules have shifted: competition is rising, and buyers have more choice.
Well-positioned, turnkey homes are selling in about 117 days; others are sitting. A 15-18% gap between list and contract price highlights where the market is truly transacting.
This is the most favorable market for buyers since 2021, with more options and real negotiating room, especially on homes with extended days on market.
However, premium properties (club communities, view homes, and turnkey finishes) still command strong prices and move quickly. This window of balance may narrow as summer demand builds. Have questions about a specific property or community? Talk to our team.
The Bottom Line
The Highlands and Cashiers market is entering a more sophisticated phase: stable at high price levels, growing in inventory, and consistent in luxury demand. The post-COVID era of any-price-wins is over. What replaces it is a professional's market, one where experience, pricing strategy, and marketing execution separate outcomes.
The underlying story that has driven this market (migration from Florida and coastal metro markets, the draw of cool mountain summers, constrained land supply, and the premium placed on the best of both worlds) is far from over. It is simply maturing. Catch up on past Highlands and Cashiers market reports.
Thinking about selling? Find out what your home is worth today.
Ready to buy? Browse our homes for sale in Highlands and Cashiers.
