As of mid-October 2026, the Charlotte-region housing market is slower but not falling: September closed sales were down 10.1 percent from a year earlier, the median price held near $393,000, and supply rose to 3.8 months. Mortgage rates are well above last year's level, while North Carolina pasture values kept climbing. For horse property, that adds up to more time and negotiating room for buyers, and a market where sellers need to price carefully even as the land underneath keeps getting more expensive.
One caution up front: no public data set tracks horse farms on their own. The figures below cover all homes or all farmland. We use them as context, then explain what they mean for equestrian property specifically.
Home sales: more choice, flat prices
Canopy Realtor Association's September 2026 report for the Charlotte Region covers 12 North Carolina counties and four South Carolina counties, and all home types.
| Measure | Sept. 2025 | Sept. 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New listings | 5,072 | 4,674 | -7.8% |
| Closed sales | 3,824 | 3,439 | -10.1% |
| Median sales price | $395,000 | $392,990 | -0.5% |
| Percent of original list price received | 95.1% | 95.1% | 0.0% |
| Days on market until sale | 54 | 54 | 0.0% |
| Homes for sale | 12,831 | 13,558 | +5.7% |
| Months of supply | 3.5 | 3.8 | +8.6% |
Through September, year-to-date closed sales were down 1.8 percent, and the year-to-date median was $400,000, essentially flat. Canopy notes that its price figures do not account for sale concessions or down payment assistance, so where a seller paid concessions, the net price was lower than the recorded sale price. Canopy's August release described the supply picture this way:
"While buyers have more choices than they did last year, supply remains well below the six-month benchmark typically associated with a balanced market."
Canopy Realtor Association, More Choice, Stable Prices Define Charlotte's August Housing Market
County medians in September 2026
Most horse buyers shop the counties around Charlotte. Here is where Canopy's September medians landed for all homes sold:
| County | Median sales price | Closed sales |
|---|---|---|
| Union, NC | $474,000 | 312 |
| Mecklenburg, NC | $450,000 | 1,129 |
| Lincoln, NC | $415,000 | 113 |
| Lancaster, SC | $392,500 | 139 |
| York, SC | $391,995 | 352 |
| Iredell, NC | $385,000 | 269 |
| Cabarrus, NC | $374,950 | 242 |
| Gaston, NC | $339,900 | 286 |
| Stanly, NC | $325,000 | 65 |
| Rowan, NC | $320,000 | 165 |
| Anson, NC | $272,500 | 10 |
One month of sales in a small county can swing the median a lot. Anson had only 10 closings in September. Treat these as a rough map of where housing costs sit, not a value for any farm.
Supply is not rising everywhere
The regional increase in listings hides real differences between counties. Canopy's September county reports show:
| County | Homes for sale, Sept. 2026 | Change from Sept. 2025 | Months of supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg, NC | 4,622 | +12.6% | 3.7 |
| Union, NC | 1,083 | +4.0% | 3.3 |
| Iredell, NC | 1,036 | -8.9% | 4.0 |
| Cabarrus, NC | 757 | -4.7% | 3.2 |
| Lincoln, NC | 467 | -0.8% | 4.0 |
| York, SC | 1,264 | +1.7% | 3.5 |
| Lancaster, SC | 634 | +17.2% | 4.3 |
| Stanly, NC | 336 | +17.9% | 5.1 |
Months of supply estimates how long current listings would last at the recent pace of sales. In general, the higher the number, the more room a buyer has. Stanly and Lancaster counties had the most supply relative to sales among these, while Cabarrus and Union had the least. Iredell and Cabarrus actually had fewer homes for sale than a year earlier.
Horse properties are a thin slice of each county's listings, so a county's months of supply is only a proxy. If you're searching for 10 or more acres with a barn, the number of matching listings at any moment can be small, which is why it helps to set up a search early and be ready to move when the right farm lists.
Mortgage rates: higher than a year ago
Freddie Mac's weekly survey put the 30-year rate well above last October's level:
"The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.40% as of October 15, 2026, unchanged from last week."
A year earlier, the 30-year averaged 6.27 percent. The 15-year averaged 6.71 percent, up from 5.52 percent a year ago.
What that difference means on a 30-year fixed loan, principal and interest only:
| Loan amount | At 6.27% | At 7.40% | Extra per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $2,468 | $2,770 | about $3,617 |
| $600,000 | $3,702 | $4,154 | about $5,426 |
The PMMS covers conventional, conforming home loans. Farms with large acreage, outbuildings, or income use may need jumbo, portfolio, or farm credit lenders with their own pricing. Our post on horse farm loans in North Carolina covers those options.
Land values: still rising
USDA's Land Values 2026 Summary, released July 31, 2026, shows North Carolina farmland gaining value again:
- Farm real estate (land and buildings): $5,750 per acre, up 5.1 percent from 2025
- Pasture: $6,380 per acre, up 5.5 percent
- Cropland: $5,580 per acre, up 4.1 percent
For comparison, USDA reports the national figure:
"The United States pasture value averaged $2,000 per acre, an increase of $80 per acre (4.2 percent) from 2025."
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Land Values 2026 Summary
North Carolina pasture is worth more than three times the national average. South Carolina pasture averaged $4,500 per acre, up 4.7 percent. These are statewide averages, and land near Charlotte runs far higher. In the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Mecklenburg County farmland averaged $27,096 per acre for land and buildings, against $5,482 statewide.
Population: the pressure behind land prices
Census Bureau estimates show steady growth around Charlotte between April 2020 and July 2025:
- Lancaster County, SC: +19.0%
- Lincoln County: +13.7%
- Iredell County: +13.5%
- Union County: +12.4%
- Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties: +10.6% each
- York County, SC: +8.9%
More households means more demand for the same open land horse owners want. It also means a pasture next to a farm can become a subdivision, which is worth checking before you buy.
What this means for buyers
- You have more time. With 54 days on market until sale and supply rising, a careful buyer can usually schedule a full inspection, well and septic checks, and a survey before committing. Our inspection checklist lists what to cover on a farm.
- Price is negotiable, within limits. Across all homes, sellers received 95.1 percent of their original list price in September. That suggests room to negotiate, but not a market where large discounts are routine.
- Run the payment at today's rate. Use the 7.40 percent benchmark, then get a real quote from a lender who finances acreage.
- Ask for horse property comparables. County medians don't capture barns, arenas, or acreage. We can pull comparable horse property sales; you can also browse our recently sold properties and current Charlotte-area horse farms.
What this means for sellers
- Price for the market you're in. Overpricing costs time, and time on market is already longer than it was a year ago on a year-to-date basis (55 days through September, up from 49).
- Show the land's value. Buyers are paying more per acre for pasture each year. Document fencing, water, soil tests, and any present-use value enrollment so buyers can see what they're paying for.
- Start with a value range. Our home value estimate is a starting point before a detailed farm valuation.
What to watch next
- Freddie Mac rates, released weekly on Thursdays at 12 p.m. ET.
- Canopy monthly reports, which in 2026 have come out near the end of the following month.
- USDA land values, published once a year in summer.
- Census county estimates, updated once a year.
If you want a read on how these numbers apply to a specific farm or search area, contact us.
Sources
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Charlotte Region
- Canopy Realtor Association, Housing Market Sortable Statistics, September 2026
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Mecklenburg County
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Union County
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Iredell County
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Cabarrus County
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Lincoln County
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: York County, SC
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Lancaster County, SC
- Canopy Realtor Association, Local Market Update September 2026: Stanly County
- Canopy Realtor Association, More Choice, Stable Prices Define Charlotte's August Housing Market
- Canopy Realtor Association, News RSS feed
- Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey
- USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Land Values 2026 Summary
- USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina County Table 8
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Population Totals 2020 to 2025 (data file)
