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What’s Happening in the Outer Banks Real Estate Market? (Summer 2022)

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outer banks real estate

After two incredible years for real estate in the Outer Banks, North Carolina we have been staying ahead of the shifts. We have experienced a market like never before and possibly never to be duplicated.  Values increased monthly, with many homes going above the asking price within hours. 

In the Outer Banks, values in some areas have increased by 48% or more. We have set records for sales volume and units sold. 

We started the 2022 year on pace to achieve this once again. Our housing inventory started to grow in February. The overall days that homes spent on-market decreased due to a less housing inventory. This second part of the year has started to creep back up.

The average home prices are leveling off – some believe to reflect the new bottom to the Outer Banks market.  

Outer Banks Market Summary

The Outer Banks is a destination location driven by tourism. A majority of the homes are vacation or investment homes. These homes require a strong buyer with usually 20-25% down.  In this market, that is big. 

In the previous real estate boom, money was easily borrowed – in some cases to underqualified borrowers. In this market, however, the borrower was overqualified. We experienced higher than 10% cash purchases overall. Those factors show that the market is solid and a burst is not expected.  

In the Corolla area to the Outer Banks, some refer to this as the Northern Beaches; we have experienced the most turnover in 20 years. The new buyers of these homes are also spending money on remodeling. The building permits over the last six months in that area are mind-boggling.  The result will be massive in rentals and sales of those homes over the next few years.  

New construction overall has been steady over the last six months. With new subdivisions in Corolla and Kill Devil Hills leading the way. Lot prices are still relatively low for the market.  Building can sometimes give you what you want without remodeling an older home. 

What happened in the first half of 2022?

In the first half, we see that interest rates, uncertainty in the stock market, and buyer burnout have slowed buyer activity at some price points. We still have inventory, and we see that new properties are coming on the market daily. 

This should be a good time for a buyer to return to the market. There are fewer buyers aggressively looking and more homes to choose from. Interest rates are indeed up from the all-time low but are still below the average.  

What are the predictions for the second half of 2022?

Moving on to the second half of 2022. We predict the number of listings will continue to rise with the lack of aggressive buyers in the market. We know interest rates are going up another .75% this year. 

We don’t feel we will switch to an actual buyers market before 2023. However, we do feel there will be some great buying opportunities as we move forward. Knowledge of the market is key to finding bargains. 

As a buyer looking for a home, working with a full-time professional real estate agent can save you money, time, and stress. They should be knowledgeable about the area you are looking at, spending most of their time in that area – especially on the Outer Banks. The agent here can tell you what you won’t find on the internet or hear from someone who doesn’t live there. Flood zones and risk are more accurate.  

Is Selling in the Outer Banks a good idea in 2022?

This is still an excellent time for a seller with realistic expectations. The days of overpricing your house and getting multiple offers are gone. The key to selling for the most today is knowledge of the market and saturation rate for the area that you are selling. 

In our market, the online sites give you an estimate based on traditional square miles. The Outer Banks is not a conventional market, nor is it square. Many variables play a role in the market price. 

Moving forward, the starting price will determine the final sale price. The market we are leaving has allowed liberal pricing and taught buyers not to make offers. Moving forward, sellers will have to look at offers and be prepared to counter offers. The better the pricing in the market, the less they will have to negotiate. We feel that a house priced right will sell for the asking price moving forward.  

To summarize, the Outer Banks market will remain strong for 2022. Knowledge of the market will play the most significant role, as we are primarily a second home and investment destination. The general US market does not directly reflect our market on the Outer Banks. Use the market knowledge to find the best property in this neutral market.

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