If you're keeping an eye on the High Country market, here's the straight-shooting update for September 2026, from the High Country Association of Realtors MLS numbers.
Across Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties, we closed 206 homes in September for a combined $148.0 million, with a region-wide median of $520,000. Active listings sat at 1,223 — down a touch (1.1%) from August — and 276 new listings hit the market.
Here's the headline that matters most: we're at 5.9 months of supply, which puts us in balanced territory. Barely.
Months of supply tells us how long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace. Over 6 favors buyers. Under 5 favors sellers. Five to six is balanced. At 5.9, the scale is tipping back from August's buyer tilt (6.4) toward the middle.
For buyers: This is still workable. You have choices, and sellers know it. But the trend is worth watching. Supply tightened from August's 6.4 to 5.9, and if it keeps drifting down, the leverage you have right now shrinks with it.
For sellers: The math is moving your way, slowly. At 5.9, a well-priced home that shows well still gets attention. The same rule holds as always. Price it right on day one. Overpriced listings still sit, and sitting listings still get cut.
Land is a different story, and it's the land buyer's market that keeps on giving. Fifty-three land sales closed in September with a median of $90,000, down 9.9% from August. But 1,305 active land listings against that sales pace means a 24.6-month supply. If you've been waiting to build in the mountains, the selection has rarely been better.
Ashe had the month that made me look twice. Thirty-eight closed sales, up 26.7% from August, and the median jumped 20.8% to $488,450. When sales AND median both climb like that, it means demand is real, not just a mix shift. Fifty-one new listings hit the county, so buyers shopping Ashe have fresh inventory to work with.
On the land side, Ashe buyers should take note. Fourteen land sales closed at a median of just $59,750, down 53.1% from August. That's the lowest land median of the four counties by a wide margin, with 317 active land listings and a 22.6-month supply. If you want mountain dirt in Ashe County, this is the window.
For comparison: Watauga led again with 95 sales and a $595,000 median (up 5.7%), Avery held steady at 54 sales with a $477,500 median (up 7.0%), and Alleghany's 19 sales came with a 9.4% median dip to $384,000.
September pulled us back from buyer's-market territory to the edge of balanced. Sales climbed, the median climbed with them, and supply keeps tightening. That's a market gaining confidence, not losing it. Watch the next month. If supply keeps drifting down, sellers regain the edge.
County-level numbers are a great starting point, but your neighborhood and price range tell their own story. Whether you're buying, selling, or just want to know what your place is worth, reach out to me directly and we'll look at your specifics.
John Blevins, Broker-in-Charge | Regency Properties | West Jefferson, NC | NC License #322850
Accuracy 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. Source: High Country Association of Realtors, September 2026 MLS Market Report (published October 14, 2026).
