Moore County NC Real Estate Market: More Homes for Sale Give Buyers More Choices in 2026

Dated: September 23 2026

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If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Moore County, North Carolina, there is an important change happening in the real estate market: buyers have more homes to choose from.

We are seeing it nationally, but we are also seeing it right here in Moore County.

In August 2026, Moore County had 829 active homes for sale, compared with 701 in August 2025. That's an increase of approximately 18% in one year.

For buyers searching for homes in Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, Carthage, Whispering Pines and surrounding Moore County communities, more inventory means more choices. For sellers, it means more competition.

U.S. Housing Inventory Continues to Grow

The increase in available homes isn't limited to North Carolina.

According to Realtor.com, there were 1,140,035 active home listings across the United States in August 2026, an increase of 3.6% compared with August 2025.

Inventory has come a long way from the shortages buyers experienced several years ago. In August 2021, there were only about 574,651 active listings nationwide.

That means the number of homes available for sale nationally has nearly doubled in five years.

Even with that increase, however, housing inventory has not completely returned to normal. Realtor.com reports that August 2026 inventory remained 11.1% below typical pre-pandemic levels.

So, while buyers have considerably more choices than they did a few years ago, we aren't necessarily looking at an oversupply of homes.

Moore County NC Housing Inventory Is Up 18%

This is where the national numbers become especially interesting for those of us in the Sandhills.

While national inventory increased 3.6% year over year in August, Moore County's active inventory increased approximately 18%, from 701 homes in August 2025 to 829 in August 2026.

The Moore County absorption rate also increased from 4.33 months in August 2025 to 4.66 months in August 2026.

Absorption rate is one way we measure how long it would take the current inventory of homes to sell based on the current pace of sales.

Simply put, buyers have more homes available to them than they did a year ago.

What Does More Inventory Mean for Moore County Home Buyers?

If you are searching for a home in Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, Carthage or Whispering Pines, more inventory can change the buying experience.

You may have more homes to compare before making a decision. You may also have more time to look closely at location, condition, updates and price instead of feeling like you need to make an immediate offer simply because another home may not become available.

There may also be more opportunity to negotiate on some properties, particularly when a home has been on the market longer or is competing with several similar homes.

But more inventory does not mean every seller will negotiate or every home will sit on the market.

A well-priced home in a desirable location can still attract buyers quickly.

What Does More Inventory Mean for Moore County Home Sellers?

For sellers, increased inventory means something very simple:

Your home has more competition.

During the years when inventory was extremely limited, buyers sometimes had to overlook things they didn't love about a home because they had few alternatives.

Today's buyer may have several properties to consider.

That makes pricing, condition, preparation and marketing increasingly important.

When preparing to sell a home, one of the most important questions isn't simply:

"How much did my neighbor's house sell for?"

You also need to ask:

"What else can a buyer purchase right now for the same amount of money?"

Those active listings are your competition.

If a buyer can purchase a similar home that has been updated, prepared for the market and priced appropriately, your home needs to compete with that property.

Are Home Prices Falling in Moore County?

More inventory doesn't automatically mean falling home values.

In fact, Moore County's median sold price was $445,876 in August 2026, compared with $422,817 in August 2025.

At the same time, sellers were receiving an average of 95.5% of list price, compared with 96% a year earlier.

Those numbers tell an important story.

Buyers have more choices and are becoming more selective, but homes are still selling and the median sold price remains higher than it was a year ago.

Is Moore County a Buyer's Market in 2026?

I wouldn't look at our market as simply a "buyer's market" or a "seller's market."

The numbers point to a market that has become more balanced and more selective.

Buyers have more choices.

Sellers have more competition.

That means buyers should understand the value of the home they are considering and sellers need to understand how their property compares with the other homes currently available.

The days of putting a home on the market at almost any price and expecting multiple offers are not the market we are experiencing today.

But neither is this a market where homes aren't selling.

Strategy matters on both sides.

Real Estate Is Local — Even Within Moore County

National real estate headlines are useful, but they don't tell you what is happening in a specific neighborhood.

The market for a home in Pinehurst can be different from the market in Southern Pines. A golf-front property can behave differently from a home in a traditional neighborhood. New construction may compete differently than an older resale home.

Price range matters, too.

That's why I don't believe buyers or sellers should make a real estate decision based solely on a national headline.

The numbers that matter most are the ones for the location, neighborhood, property type and price range where you are buying or selling.

Thinking About Buying or Selling a Home in Moore County NC?

If you're considering buying or selling a home in Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, Carthage, Whispering Pines or elsewhere in Moore County, let's look at what is happening in the part of the market that actually affects you.

I can help you review current homes for sale, recent sales, days on market, pricing and competition so you can make your decision based on today's Moore County real estate market.

Terry Nanney, Realtor®

Towering Pines Real Estate, brokered by eXp Realty

Serving Moore County and the surrounding Sandhills of North Carolina

National housing inventory data source: Realtor.com Housing Inventory Core Metrics and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), August 2026. Moore County statistics are based on August 2026 local market data.

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