Charlotte market pulse
Real public data for Charlotte's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
-0.1%
in 1 year · Charlotte metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 482.2 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 475.6 | -1.4% |
| 2025 Q4 | 474.0 | -1.7% |
| 2026 Q1 | 477.1 | -1.1% |
| 2026 Q2 | 481.9 | -0.1% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+40%
in 5 years · Charlotte metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 345.1 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 364.6 | +5.7% |
| 2021 Q4 | 375.7 | +8.9% |
| 2022 Q1 | 398.3 | +15% |
| 2022 Q2 | 420.6 | +22% |
| 2022 Q3 | 425.6 | +23% |
| 2022 Q4 | 420.5 | +22% |
| 2023 Q1 | 424.7 | +23% |
| 2023 Q2 | 441.2 | +28% |
| 2023 Q3 | 451.0 | +31% |
| 2023 Q4 | 452.8 | +31% |
| 2024 Q1 | 458.0 | +33% |
| 2024 Q2 | 469.2 | +36% |
| 2024 Q3 | 465.8 | +35% |
| 2024 Q4 | 469.8 | +36% |
| 2025 Q1 | 474.1 | +37% |
| 2025 Q2 | 482.2 | +40% |
| 2025 Q3 | 475.6 | +38% |
| 2025 Q4 | 474.0 | +37% |
| 2026 Q1 | 477.1 | +38% |
| 2026 Q2 | 481.9 | +40% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+127%
in 10 years · Charlotte metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 212.0 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 217.1 | +2.4% |
| 2016 Q4 | 219.6 | +3.6% |
| 2017 Q1 | 225.2 | +6.2% |
| 2017 Q2 | 231.1 | +9.0% |
| 2017 Q3 | 234.7 | +11% |
| 2017 Q4 | 238.6 | +13% |
| 2018 Q1 | 244.8 | +15% |
| 2018 Q2 | 252.5 | +19% |
| 2018 Q3 | 254.2 | +20% |
| 2018 Q4 | 256.4 | +21% |
| 2019 Q1 | 259.7 | +22% |
| 2019 Q2 | 267.8 | +26% |
| 2019 Q3 | 270.5 | +28% |
| 2019 Q4 | 271.9 | +28% |
| 2020 Q1 | 281.5 | +33% |
| 2020 Q2 | 289.3 | +36% |
| 2020 Q3 | 300.4 | +42% |
| 2020 Q4 | 309.8 | +46% |
| 2021 Q1 | 325.8 | +54% |
| 2021 Q2 | 345.1 | +63% |
| 2021 Q3 | 364.6 | +72% |
| 2021 Q4 | 375.7 | +77% |
| 2022 Q1 | 398.3 | +88% |
| 2022 Q2 | 420.6 | +98% |
| 2022 Q3 | 425.6 | +101% |
| 2022 Q4 | 420.5 | +98% |
| 2023 Q1 | 424.7 | +100% |
| 2023 Q2 | 441.2 | +108% |
| 2023 Q3 | 451.0 | +113% |
| 2023 Q4 | 452.8 | +114% |
| 2024 Q1 | 458.0 | +116% |
| 2024 Q2 | 469.2 | +121% |
| 2024 Q3 | 465.8 | +120% |
| 2024 Q4 | 469.8 | +122% |
| 2025 Q1 | 474.1 | +124% |
| 2025 Q2 | 482.2 | +127% |
| 2025 Q3 | 475.6 | +124% |
| 2025 Q4 | 474.0 | +124% |
| 2026 Q1 | 477.1 | +125% |
| 2026 Q2 | 481.9 | +127% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+144%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 25 ZIPs, from +81% to +231%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 26 of Charlotte's 28 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $4,052 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$1,232
a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 28277
- Own: 4-bedroom sample house, $759,000Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $4,052 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$4,862 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 4 bedrooms
- $3,630 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.5%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 5,798 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Charlotte's census tracts: 8,961 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.125% to 6.875%
- Loan costs at closing
- $5,130 medianMiddle half $4,085 to $7,522: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 7,273 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $832,750 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $541,287 (one-unit home, Mecklenburg County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 90% of the value (median)Middle half 80% to 96.5%. 59.7% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 42.6% more than 90%, 27.5% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 8,820 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 81.8% · FHA 13.3%VA 4.9% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 47.9% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $3,041. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,477 a year
Median of 26 Charlotte ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 2,417 policies in force · 1,661 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 28 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 4.9% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- Mecklenburg County, NC: expected yearly losses rated relatively high for inland flooding, tornado, winter weather, hail.
Other ratings for Mecklenburg County, NC
- EarthquakeRelatively Moderate
- WildfireRelatively Low
- HurricaneRelatively Moderate
- Heat waveRelatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Charlotte
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Project
Airport terminal lobby expansion is completed
Charlotte Douglas reports completion of its expanded and renovated terminal lobby. This is an airport access/capacity project, not evidence that nearby home prices will rise.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Terminal Lobby Expansion (opens in a new tab) - Zoning change
Unified Development Ordinance takes effect
The UDO replaces the former zoning framework and provides duplex/triplex and other housing options subject to district and development standards.
Charlotte Planning, Unified Development Ordinance (opens in a new tab)
Rules in North Carolina
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- Attorneys run the closing. A lawyer must conduct it.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure plus mineral/oil/gas disclosure You may cancel within 3 days in some cases: Required disclosure not delivered by offer: written cancellation by the first of 3 calendar days after receipt, 3 calendar days after contract, settlement or buyer occupancy; see §47E-5..
- Closing taxesRule
- North Carolina conveyance excise: 0.2% of the price · seller pays
How buying works in North Carolina
- Who runs the closing
- Attorneys run the closing. A lawyer must conduct it. Typical time from contract to keys: about 35 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
NC REALTORS / NC Bar Association Offer to Purchase and Contract (Form 2-T)
- Buyer agreement
- NC written buyer agency agreement and Working With Real Estate Agents disclosure, signed before touring.
Details
Homiy's prototype requires a written agreement before a represented tour. NAR's rule binds participating MLS brokers; do not describe it as a universal state law. Compensation is negotiable and total brokerage pay cannot exceed the agreement. NC license-law timing and MLS touring timing differ; the prototype uses the earlier pre-tour gate.
Source: NAR: written buyer agreements before touring (MLS participation rule, not a universal state statute) (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Due diligence
- 21 days to inspect and investigate. Any due diligence fee paid to the seller usually isn't refunded if you walk away.
Details
21 days is a negotiable sample, not law. A separately negotiated due diligence fee goes directly to seller at the effective date and is credited at closing; unlike escrow earnest money it is normally lost on buyer termination. Seller breach, specified title/risk-of-loss terms or an addendum can change refund rights. No unsupported market-average fee is supplied.
- Inspection
- About 21 days for inspections.
Details
Inspection, title, insurance, appraisal and loan investigation should fit inside the due diligence period, not create separate automatic escapes. 21 calendar days is a negotiable sample planning period, not a statutory deadline.
- Earnest money
- 1–3% of the price, due within 3 days, held by: Named attorney or broker escrow.
Details
Sample only: delivery within 3 calendar days and 1–3% earnest money; the signed contract controls. Buyer delivery is distinct from the holder's statutory deposit deadline. Due diligence fee is separate and payable to seller at the effective date. Do not add it to refundable earnest money.
- Seller's disclosure
- Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure plus mineral/oil/gas disclosure You may cancel within 3 days in some cases: Required disclosure not delivered by offer: written cancellation by the first of 3 calendar days after receipt, 3 calendar days after contract, settlement or buyer occupancy; see §47E-5..
Details
Covered 1–4-unit transfers; seller may answer no representation on many condition items. Statutory cancellation is separate from negotiated DD rights.
Source: NC General Statutes §47E-5: disclosure cancellation (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: none: loan and appraisal risk ride on due diligence.
Details
21-day financing period and the typical closing time are sample planning assumptions, not measured averages or legal rights. Financing and appraisal protection require the signed form/addenda; an appraisal shortfall is not automatically protected. IMPORTANT: standard Form2-T has NO independent financing contingency. This numeric period represents the DD financing-risk review deadline only; inability to borrow after DD expiry does not itself release earnest money. Closing attorney must supervise legal work; physical attendance at every signing is not required.
- Title insurance
- The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy.
Details
Payer is a negotiable local custom, not a mandatory charge; obtain a title quote and follow the signed allocation. Filed insurer/rating-bureau rates are not a state-promulgated price.
- Property tax for a new owner
- Your property tax follows the county's assessed market value. About 0.77% of the price a year is our planning figure for Charlotte; your bill can differ.
Details
Use the assessor's current taxable value, assessment ratio and parcel tax district. Price is only a planning proxy; exemptions, revaluations, credits and special assessments are not inherited automatically.
FY2025–26 NCDOR Charlotte/Mecklenburg nominal rates0.2741+0.4927=0.7668 per$100 assessment. Use assessor value/revaluation and parcel district; no claim of immediate reassessment to price. Excludes special districts/fees. HOA range and lender-title percentage are SAMPLE inputs.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- North Carolina allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
NCREC permits rebates to transaction parties; disclose to lender before closing and show on closing statement. Advertised rebates must be subject to lender approval.
Source: NCREC: compensation issues and buyer rebates (2020-03-20)
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina conveyance excise | Seller | 0.2% of the priceNC General Statutes §105-228.30: excise on conveyances |
Sources (10)
- NC State Bar Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2002-1 · revised 2012-01-26; reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: due diligence fee refund exceptions · 2017-10; Form 2-T explanation (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: due diligence replaced the financing contingency · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NC General Statutes §47E-5: disclosure cancellation · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: compensation issues and buyer rebates · 2020-03-20 (opens in a new tab)
- NC General Statutes §105-228.30: excise on conveyances · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- NCDOR county and municipal rates, Charlotte/Mecklenburg and Raleigh/Wake rows · FY2025–2026 (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Charlotte, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- NC Home Advantage Mortgage (opens in a new tab) (North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA))Fixed-rate mortgages with down payment assistance of up to 3% of the loan amount; first-time buyers can choose the NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment of $15,000.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.North Carolina's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Charlotte
- Homeownership (House Charlotte) (opens in a new tab) (City of Charlotte)Housing counseling, the House Charlotte down-payment program and other city resources for residents buying a home.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Property Tax Exclusion For The Elderly or Disabled (opens in a new tab) (Mecklenburg County Office of Tax Administration)For owners 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled, with income up to $38,800: an exclusion of $25,000 or 50% of the home's taxable value, whichever is greater.Deadline: June 1Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- Appeals (opens in a new tab) (Mecklenburg County Office of Tax Administration)Submit a Formal Appeal Form to the Board of Equalization and Review by email, mail or in person.When: May 4, 2026 (the Board's adjournment), or the Last Date to Appeal on a notice of value change (the 2026 window has closed; it opens again next year)Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- Property Fraud Alert (opens in a new tab) (Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds)A free service that notifies you whenever a document with your name is recorded in the official records.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Charlotte, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (32)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (metro area 16740) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (metro area 16740) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (metro area 16740), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU37167400000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Charlotte, NC (Census place 3712000): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for Mecklenburg County, NC · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- FTA National Transit Database, General Transit Feed Specification Weblinks: the public-domain GTFS feeds agencies must publish · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- City of Charlotte North Carolina: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-08 to 2026-10-05 (opens in a new tab)
- NC State Bar Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2002-1 · revised 2012-01-26; reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: due diligence fee refund exceptions · 2017-10; Form 2-T explanation (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: due diligence replaced the financing contingency · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NC General Statutes §47E-5: disclosure cancellation · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NCREC: compensation issues and buyer rebates · 2020-03-20 (opens in a new tab)
- NC General Statutes §105-228.30: excise on conveyances · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- NCDOR county and municipal rates, Charlotte/Mecklenburg and Raleigh/Wake rows · FY2025–2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)