February 2026- MLS Report
The High–Country Real Estate Market, which consists of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties, saw ninety- seven closed sales of single-family, including condo/ townhouse properties, during February 2026, with a combined closing total of $ 60.7 million. That combined median sales price came in at $460,000 for February 2026.
Nationally: Housing affordability along with Americans’ outlook on the market, is improving as rates hover near three- and- half – year lows. According to a recent HomeServe survey of about 1,000 U.S. adults, 59% feel more confident about the housing market since the rate drop last week. The National Association of REALTORS ® called it a “big psychological and financial milestone” after rates dropped under 6% for the housing market.
According to an analysis of the National Association of REALTORS ® Metro Market Dashboard, an additional 5.5 million households now qualify for a mortgage that were not qualified slightly over a year ago when rates were near 7%. Thus, with the latest rates for a home at $400,000, a monthly mortgage payment of about $1,910, which has been a significant improvement from a year ago. In turn, it would give the buyer back about $2,000 in their pockets annually. Therefore, with rates at this low, it increases the chances for at least 1.6 million renters becoming first- time buyers.
Inventory: In February 2026, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga Counties had 681 active single-family and condo/ townhouse listings, down by 7.8 % compared to January 2026, following an additional 126 new listings, down by 17.1%, creating a supply of 7.0 for the month.
Land: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga closed with fifty- five land sales during February 2026, with a median sales price of $42,500, which was down 66.1% from January. There were 1,186 active land inventories, with eighty new listings, resulting in a 21.6 months’ supply of inventory for February 2026.
Commercial: There were two active commercial properties listed in the High-Country Multiple Listings Service during January 2026, with four commercial sales during the month totaling $ 1.2 million.
Alleghany County: Allegheny had eight closed sales in February 2026, remaining steady for the month. The county’s median sales price for February 2026 was $463,450, a 29.6% increase compared to January 2026, with sixty- one active residential listings, a 4.7% decrease from the previous month. Additionally, there were nine land closings in February with a median sales price of $40,000, up 166.7%, along with 225 active land listings and seventeen new listings. Leaving 25.0 % month's supply of inventory for land.
Ashe County: There were nineteen closed residential sales in February 2026, down 5.0% from January 2026. The county’s median sales price is $460,000, up by 18.9% from last month. In addition, there were 114 active residential properties, including twenty-one new listings, reflecting a 40.0% decrease from January 2026. There were also fifteen land sales, with a median sale of $59,900. The county had 290 active listings and twenty-five new listings in February 2026, down 19.4% from the prior month, creating a 19.3-month supply of inventory for land.
Avery County: Twenty- four residential properties closed in the county for February 2026. Median sales price of $378,000 for February 2026, down 4.3 % compared to last month. In addition, there were 228 active residential properties in inventory, with thirty-five new listings. Avery County closed three land sales in February 2026, with a median sales price of $75,000, with a 52.4% decrease compared to January 2026. Furthermore, there are 253 active listings, with fourteen new listings, resulting in an 84.3-month supply of land inventory.
Watauga County: Watauga County reported forty- six closed residential sales in February 2026, up 12.2 % from January 2026. Median sales were $557,600; an 11.8% decrease compared to the prior month. There were 274 active residential properties in inventory, along with sixty- four new listings in February 2026, down 12.3% from January 2026. Watauga also had 418 land listings and twenty- four new land listings in February 2026, creating a 14.9-month supply of land inventory.
Disclaimer: Figures are based on the High-Country Multiple Listing Service information. Data is for informational purposes only and may not be accurate due to MLS reporting processes. This data reflects a specific point in time and cannot be used in perpetuity due to the fluctuating nature of markets.
Report graphics generated from Domus Analytics pulled from the HCAR Web API feed. HCAR Realtor® members can access these detailed and customizable reports and graphics for professional use by logging into the HCAR dashboard. A public graphic is available on our website homepage at highcountryrealtors.org.