With spring right around the corner come longer days and warmer weather; highlighting Charlotte’s outdoor lifestyle and connectivity! 

Did you know 39% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park?  For those in the area there are many options as Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation manages roughly 290 parks and facilities spanning more than 22,500 acres, offering everything from playgrounds and athletic fields to scenic trails and picnic areas for all ages. The region features an expanding network of 84 miles of greenway trails, plus 25 miles of access trails and 30 miles of urban trails, and here are the 3 things you need to know this week.

Show & Grow: Charlotte Area Listings Averaged 4.4 Showings Per Property, Reflecting Steady Buyer Interest.

The Charlotte region housing market opened the year with steady momentum. Pending sales increased 7.3% year-over-year, signaling buyers are re-engaging as mortgage rates stabilize. Listings averaged 4.4 showings per property, with Matthews leading at 6 showings per listing, followed by Huntersville (5.4), Concord (5.0), Charlotte (4.7), and Waxhaw (4.6). Home values remained resilient, as the median sales price rose 2.2% to $390,000 and the average sales price increased 2.5% to $499,100; reflecting a more measured and sustainable pace of appreciation.

Cool Dip: Mortgage Rates Dip Below 6%, A Meaningful Shift for Buyers

For the first time since September 2022, the average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate has fallen below 6%, landing around 5.98%.  While this doesn’t fully solve affordability challenges, this is a meaningful psychological threshold for buyers and refinancers. It also improves purchasing power and could help stimulate spring activity. The next question is whether homeowners with older, lower-rate mortgages will remain reluctant to sell, keeping inventory tight?  Economists note that without a meaningful increase in housing supply, lower rates alone won’t drive a broad market rebound.

Machine Learning: Google Searches For “Can’t Sell House” Just Hit Record High

Google search interest for the term “can’t sell house” has surged to an all-time high.  It’s reached its highest relative level on record, even above peaks seen during the 2008 housing crisis and the COVID-era market stress. This spike in search activity coincides with a broader housing slowdown where sellers now outnumber buyers by roughly 44% nationwide. Existing-home sales have dropped at a fair clip in early 2026, and median listing prices have remained elevated despite softening demand. This search string suggests more listings are lingering on market and pricing expectations may be misaligned with buyer capacity and/or demand.

I hope you have a great weekend, and remember; We’re never as great as our best day - We’re never as bad as our worst day; Be Confident - Stay Humble.