Buncombe County and Asheville Area Market Real Estate Trends
Is Asheville and Buncombe County a buyer’s or seller’s market?
The 2025 Buncombe County real estate numbers were an indication of more of the “normalization” that we have seen in recent years. The market has shifted from the tight grip of a seller’s market to a more neutral market. Inventory grew with the homes for sale increasing over 50% year over year and months’ supply dialing up from 3.2 months to 4.5. The increase in supply has been a welcome sight for buyers and has given them more options in addition to more negotiating power with sellers. It has also led to longer days on market trends. Interestingly, pricing did remain incredibly resilient throughout 2025, with the median price increasing a slight 1.1% to $485,000.
Are affordability and interest rate concerns impacting the market?
Interest rates and affordability concerns have certainly impacted real estate, but the real estate numbers in Buncombe County still point to
How close to the asking price are sellers able to achieve in the current market?
As days on market increase and homes sit on the market longer, sellers are also receiving less of their asking price. The ratio has shifted down from 93% to 91.5% over December.
McDowell County and Asheville Area Market Real Estate Trends
Is McDowell County and towns like Marion, NC, and Old Fort, NC, a buyer’s market or seller’s market?
In a similar pattern to Buncombe County, McDowell County has seen a growth in inventory, but unlike Buncombe County, the pace of closed sales has aligned with the increase in supply to a greater degree. Inventory increased by 28%, and closed sales were up 17% in December. McDowell County’s pricing ended the year flat, overall, at a median price of $300,000. While other markets are shifting to more balanced real estate trends, McDowell County is already a much more predictable market. In December, new listings were up 21%, pending sales were up 23.5%, and closed sales were up 17%. Days on market increase slightly from 56 to 65 days year to date.
Where folks have affordability concerns, McDowell County holds an advantage when compared to Buncombe County, with a flat YTD sales price. McDowell County’s pricing appeared to have stagnated around $300,000 in late 2022 and is holding true to the same median range. Sellers are also receiving 91.7% of their original sales price compared to 92.6% in Buncombe County. The McDowell County market tells the story of a steadier market.
Burke County Area Market Real Estate Trends
Is Burke County a buyer’s or seller’s market?
Of the three counties we analyze in this market report, Burke County is the closest to a seller’s market. In short, the county saw slower real estate activity, but prices continued to appreciate throughout 2025. Inventory levels in Burke County were flat year over year. In fact, over the month of December, the county saw a 22.2% decline in new listings, which compounds the impact of YTD new listings decreasing by 6.3%, pending sales decreasing 5.4%, and closed sales tracking down by 2.5%. Amidst the backdrop of low inventory, the median sales price increased 5% year-to-date to $274,000.
What are other notable stats to keep in mind about Burke County?
Compared to Buncombe and McDowell County, Burke County attracts the lowest median price at $274,000. Despite the market still leaning in the seller’s favor, the days on market increased by 41.5% YTD—from 41 to 58 days. This suggests that buyers are taking time to make purchasing decisions amidst concerns about affordability. The market has seen decreased activity, but it is also more affordable, even with appreciating prices.
Conclusion
Affordability concerns are top of mind, and the real estate market in Buncombe, McDowell, and Burke Counties is no longer a tight seller’s market, yet the numbers suggest that pricing has remained relatively stable. Buyers certainly have more negotiating power. All markets have seen a decline in the closed price to asking price ratio, and days on market have shifted in all markets. Buyers are taking more time to consider their purchase decisions, and homes are sitting on the market a bit longer. While Burke and McDowell County are likely to appease affordability concerns, Buncombe County remains at relatively high median prices compared to neighboring markets and the national market. It will be interesting to see if Buncombe County’s pricing trends continue in this direction. Interest rates also just dipped below 6% for the first time in a few years, which will ideally increase buyer confidence.
Explore more market trends on our website, or contact the real estate experts at GreyBeard Realty today with any questions.