Closed sales fell to their lowest August total since this data began tracking in 2022, even as homes under contract jumped 17.5 percent from July, the kind of gap that often shows up as a bump in next month’s closings rather than a real slowdown in demand. Inventory held near its highest August level in that same window, and it’s taking sellers about a month longer to find a buyer than it did in 2022. Prices, meanwhile, kept drifting up regardless: median sales price rose to $426,250, the second-highest August on record.
Durham County’s August 2026 Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | Aug 2026 | Jul 2026 | Aug 2025 | MoM Change | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Available Inventory | 1,343 | 1,388 | 1,148 | -3.2% | +17.0% |
| Average Days on Market | 30 | 26 | 25 | +4 days | +5 days |
| Median Sales Price | $426,250 | $409,990 | $420,000 | +4.0% | +1.5% |
| Median Price per Sq Ft | $221 | $221 | $226 | 0.0% | -2.2% |
| % of Original List Price Received | 96.3% | 96.5% | 96.2% | -0.2 pts | +0.1 pts |
Is Durham County’s Housing Inventory Growing?
Yes, and it’s sitting at its highest August level since this data began tracking in 2022. August’s 1,343 active listings are down 3.2 percent from July’s all-time high of 1,388, but up 17.0 percent from August 2025’s 1,148. After a dip in 2023, Durham’s August inventory has climbed three years running, from 690 listings in 2023 to 1,343 this year.
How Many Homes Are Selling in Durham County?
Closed sales fell to 304 in August, the lowest August total since this data began tracking in 2022, down 21.4 percent from July’s 387 and 13.1 percent from August 2025’s 350. At the same time, homes under contract jumped to 370, up 17.5 percent from July and 13.1 percent from a year ago. That gap between fewer closings and more pending contracts is the most notable thing in this month’s data. It could mean a batch of deals is still working its way through closing and shows up in September’s numbers, or it could point to something slower in how contracts are converting this year. Either reading is possible from one month of data, so it’s worth watching before drawing a conclusion.
How Fast Are Homes Selling?
Homes spent an average of 30 days on the market in August, the slowest August this data has recorded since 2022, continuing a steady lengthening each year (13 days in 2022, 16 in 2023, 17 in 2024, 25 in 2025, now 30). It’s also 4 days slower than July.
Are Home Prices Going Up or Down?
Mostly holding steady to slightly up. Median sales price rose to $426,250, up 4.0 percent from July’s $409,990 and 1.5 percent from August 2025’s $420,000, the second-highest August on record behind only August 2024’s $432,195. Price per square foot held flat at $221 from July, but it’s down 2.2 percent from a year ago and has now fallen for three straight Augusts, from $235 in 2023 to $221 this year.
How Much Housing Supply Is There Right Now?
Months of supply measures how long it would take to sell through all current inventory at the recent pace of sales, without any new listings added. Lower numbers point toward a seller’s market, higher numbers toward a buyer’s market, and somewhere around five to six months is generally considered balanced. Durham’s 3.7 months of supply in August is down slightly from July’s record 3.9, but it’s the highest August level since 2022, up from 3.5 a year ago. New listings held essentially flat at 497, identical to July’s count and nearly matching August 2025’s 496.
Are Sellers Still Getting Their Asking Price?
Sellers received 96.3 percent of their original list price in August, down slightly from July’s 96.5 percent but essentially matching August 2025’s 96.2 percent. Measured against final list price, sellers received 98.4 percent, up from July’s 98.2 percent but down from last August’s 98.7 percent. Both figures have leveled off after several years of steady decline (from just over 100 percent in 2021 to the mid-90s now), which suggests sellers’ pricing power has stabilized rather than continuing to erode.
Quick Takeaways
- Closed sales fell to 304, the lowest August total since 2022, even as homes under contract jumped 17.5 percent from July.
- Active listings reached 1,343, the highest August level since tracking began in 2022.
- Days on market stretched to 30, the slowest August in that same window.
- Median sales price rose to $426,250, the second-highest August on record.
- Price per square foot held flat at $221 month over month, but has fallen for three straight Augusts.
- Sellers received 96.3 percent of original list price, roughly matching a year ago after several years of decline.
So What Does August’s Data Actually Mean for Durham County?
Durham’s August data doesn’t point in one clean direction so much as it raises a question worth watching. Closed sales dropped to their lowest August total since 2022, but under-contract activity jumped at the same time, so it’s possible a chunk of that gap shows up as September closings rather than reflecting a real pullback in demand. Meanwhile, inventory and days on market both hit multi-year August highs, prices ticked up modestly, and price per square foot kept drifting down for a third straight year. None of these movements is large on its own. Taken together, they read like a market settling into a slower, more buyer-friendly rhythm rather than any single number swinging dramatically, and the closings-versus-contracts gap is the one thing worth another month of data before drawing a firmer conclusion.
If you’ve been wondering what this month’s numbers mean for your specific neighborhood in Durham, that’s worth an actual conversation. We’re always glad to have it.
Data provided by MarketStats by ShowingTime and Doorify MLS. Data reflects reports available at time of publication.