Is Charleston a buyer's or seller's market right now?

As of mid-June 2026, the Charleston tri-county area is leaning toward a seller's market but is far more balanced than the frenzy of a few years ago. Inventory sits at roughly four months of supply based on the current sales pace, and well-priced homes are still moving, while the days of automatic bidding wars on every listing have cooled.

What is the median home price in Charleston in 2026?

For the week of June 7, 2026, the median sale price across the Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester tri-county area was $464,990, up about 1 percent from the same week a year earlier. Charleston County encompasses a wide mix of markets across West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Mount Pleasant, the peninsula, and more, while Berkeley and Dorchester counties offer lower price points.

Are Charleston home prices going up or down?

Prices are holding steady rather than spiking. The tri-county median rose about 1 percent year over year for the week of June 7, 2026, while the number of homes sold jumped 10 percent. That points to a healthy, active market where demand is strong but prices are not running away from buyers.

What are mortgage rates doing in June 2026?

The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 6.52 percent the week ending June 11, 2026, according to Freddie Mac. That is down from 6.84 percent a year earlier, which meaningfully improves buying power compared to last summer even though rates remain in the mid-6 percent range.

Charleston Housing Market Update: Week of June 7, 2026

Here is the short version of the Charleston market for the week of June 7: more homes sold, prices held steady, and mortgage rates are friendlier than they were a year ago. If you were waiting for a crash or a runaway boom, the data says neither is happening. The market is busy and reasonably calm at the same time, which is honestly the healthiest place it can be.

Let me walk you through the numbers, then translate what they mean for you depending on whether you are buying or selling.

The tri-county snapshot

These figures cover residential sales across Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties for the week of June 7 to 13, 2026, compared to the same week in 2025.

Homes sold: 365, up 10 percent year over year
Median sale price: $464,990, up about 1 percent
Total sales volume: $268.6 million, up 18 percent
Active listings: 6,147, up about 2 percent
New listings: 528, down about 1 percent
Homes under contract: 409, up about 2 percent
Average days on market: 56 days for homes that sold

The headline is that sales activity is up solidly (10 percent more homes changed hands) while the median price barely moved. When volume rises faster than price, it usually means buyers are active and inventory is adequate enough that prices are not being bid into the stratosphere. That is a balanced, functioning market.

Based on the current sales pace, the area is carrying roughly four months of supply. Traditionally, under six months favors sellers, so the market still tilts their way, but it is a gentler tilt than the one to two months we saw at the peak.

Where mortgage rates landed

The 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.52 percent for the week ending June 11, 2026, according to Freddie Mac. The 15-year fixed sat in the high-5 percent range. The number worth holding onto: a year ago the 30-year averaged 6.84 percent. Rates in the mid-6s are not the bargain-basement levels of 2021, but they are a real improvement over last summer, and that improvement quietly hands buyers more purchasing power than they had twelve months ago.

County by county

This is where it gets useful, because “Charleston real estate” is really three different markets stacked on top of each other.

Charleston County saw 166 residential sales for the week, with an average sale price of $1,079,125 and homes selling in an average of 57 days. Charleston County covers a wide spread of markets, from West Ashley and James Island to Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, the barrier islands, and the peninsula. The average is pulled up by high-end sales across that range, so treat it as a signal that the top of the market is active, not as a typical price.

Berkeley County recorded 106 sales, an average sale price of $510,129, and a 52-day average. Goose Creek, Hanahan, Moncks Corner, and the Cane Bay/Nexton corridor live here, and the county continues to be where a lot of new construction value shows up.

Dorchester County posted 67 sales, an average sale price of $409,344, and the fastest pace of the three at 42 days on market. Summerville anchors this county, and the quicker days on market suggest buyer demand there is brisk relative to supply.

The pattern is clear: prices step down and pace steps up as you move from Charleston County outward to Berkeley and Dorchester. If your budget is feeling stretched closer to the peninsula, the value is sitting in the other two counties.

What this means if you are buying

You have more selection than you did during the frenzy, prices are steady rather than climbing out of reach, and your rate is better than it would have been last summer. That is a genuinely workable combination. Four months of supply means you usually have room to do inspections and negotiate without losing the house to seven competing offers. The move is to get fully pre-approved so you can act decisively when the right one appears, because well-priced homes in the popular pockets still go quickly.

What this means if you are selling

Homes are selling, and the ones priced correctly are moving in well under two months. The flip side: with the median basically flat year over year, this is not a market that rewards overpricing and waiting for the number to catch up. Buyers have options and they are paying attention to value. Price it to the current comps, present it well, and you are in good shape. If you want to know what your specific home would realistically net in today’s market, that is exactly the kind of question worth a real conversation rather than an automated estimate.

I will run this update every week so you can watch the trend rather than react to a single snapshot. Numbers from one week bounce around. The direction over a month or a quarter is what actually tells the story.

Matthew Kleinman, Real Estate Advisor