08/11/2026
📊 Charleston Real Estate Market Update | Year-to-Date Through July 2026
If you’ve been following the national headlines, you might think the housing market has slowed to a crawl.
Here in the Charleston area, the data tells a much more balanced story.
While today’s market isn’t moving at the record-breaking pace we experienced during the pandemic, it’s actually having a stronger year than many people realize.
🏡 Residential sales are up 5% compared to this point last year, with more than 10,300 homes sold across the Charleston MLS.
💰 The median sales price has increased 2.4%, reaching just over $452,000.
Even more impressive…
If we look only at single-family detached homes, the median sales price has climbed 9%, from approximately $448,000 to $488,000. That’s a much stronger indicator of our traditional housing market.
📍Several areas are seeing especially strong activity this year, including:
• West Ashley (Area 13)
• Johns Island
• Mount Pleasant South
• Downtown Charleston
• Summerville
• Daniel Island
• Wando/Cainhoy
On the other hand, a few Berkeley County areas have seen fewer transactions than last year. Many of these communities have been driven by new construction over the past several years, so a slowdown there is likely more reflective of changing inventory than weakening demand.
📉 July did see about 15% fewer closings than June, but that’s actually a fairly normal seasonal trend. Historically, transaction volume tends to taper off as we move toward the fall and winter months.
🏠 Inventory has increased to 3.2 months, giving buyers more options than they’ve had in recent years. Even so, 27 of our 32 MLS areas still have less than five months of inventory, meaning most of the Charleston region continues to favor sellers.
My biggest takeaway?
The Charleston market isn’t crashing.
It isn’t experiencing another pandemic-style frenzy either.
Instead, we’re seeing something much healthier.
✅ Buyers have more choices.
✅ Sellers are still seeing appreciation.
✅ Sales are higher than they were this time last year.
✅ The market is steadily returning to a more balanced, sustainable pace.
Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way because many of us naturally compare today’s market to the extraordinary years of 2020-2022. The reality is that compared to the past two years, 2026 is shaping up to be a stronger year for Charleston real estate.
If you’re curious about what’s happening specifically in your neighborhood or what your home might be worth in today’s market, I’d be happy to help. As always, there’s never any obligation.