As we move through the middle of 2026, the year-to-date numbers are in — and they tell a story of two markets. Buncombe County and Asheville, the region's commercial and population center, are diverging sharply from the trends emerging in Burke and McDowell Counties. 

Buncombe's closed sales are up in June (+18.6%) and 6.1% year-to-date, while Burke and McDowell are showing clear signs of cooling — fewer closings, softer prices, and inventory building faster than demand can absorb it.