Lake Norman | Q4 2025
Q4 Market Report | January 2026
OVERALL MARKET REPORT
COMMUNITY UPDATES
MARKET FORECAST
Sustained Luxury Demand with Measured Growth
Lake Norman Luxury Sales Rise as Inventory Expands
The Lake Norman luxury market’s 2025 activity produced interesting dynamics. Increasing inventories provided more options for buyers, yet did not slow the sell-through pace from the prior year’s record performance. Lake Norman saw 178 closings over $2 million, up from 152 in 2024, an increase of 16%. The region moves into the first quarter of 2026 with 87 homes over $2 million currently listed as active in the MLS, with another 21 under pending contracts.
In the ultra-luxury segment of properties valued at over $5 million in list price, the lake saw its third closing over $10 million in list price in the past two years (all brokered by Ivester Jackson agents), a flagship waterfront estate off Brawley School Road with over 1000 feet of point lot waterfrontage. Ultra-luxury activity remained steady, yet flat to 2024, with 10 homes closing over $5 million in list price compared to 12 in 2024.
Cornelius
As one of the communities with limited land available, Cornelius continues to draw high interest, particularly in the luxury segment. Prices have pushed up above $3 million for many waterfront options, as is demonstrated by the low inventory in the $2 million range currently active. Closed units in most of the luxury ranges were on par with last year ’ s fourth quarter results, while inventory has risen to a level that has now allowed for more buyer options after years of limited supply.
Cornelius Home Sales
Davidson
Davidson’s mid-market segment below $1 million in list price saw a fairly significant decline, as more interest ratesensitive buyers also found new construction options in other areas around the lake. Luxury closings above $1 million once again showed increases when compared to the prior year ’ s fourth quarter, with 31 units closing vs 22, an increase of roughly 40%. While inventory above $2 million has increased, sell-through has kept the active listings to pending contracts ratio at about 2 to 1, or about 90-120 days of inventory in the upper ranges.
Davidson Home Sales
Mooresville
The region’s largest area when it comes to available land, new construction options in Mooresville drove results in the mid-market luxury entry point below $1 million to record levels, with 92 homes closing in the range vs 70 in the fourth quarter of 2024. Activity in the million-dollar-plus ranges was more in line with prior year results, actually declining slightly in the ultra-luxury range (9 sales over $2 million in list price vs 12 in the prior year ’ s ending quarter). Inventory in the ultra-luxe category remains balanced, with 24 homes active and 7 pending contracts, a number that will increase as the spring buying season picks up.
Mooresville Home Sales
Denver | West Shore
Like Mooresville, new construction options drove sellthrough upward in the mid-market segment below $1 million. 49 units closed in the fourth quarter compared to 31 during the same period in 2024. This left the region with about 90 days of absorption in the same price range. The popular range between $1 million and $2 million sported 15 closings, leaving just 12 homes active, or about 70 days of absorption. The West Shore area has also seen some significant sales, with a nearly $7 million closing on Bay Pointe, while inventory has crept up to 16 actives at the top of the market.
Denver/West Shore Home Sales
North Shore
Troutman/Sherrills Ford
The region above the 150 bridge prepares for the highway’s expansion, which should drive luxury activity on both sides of the lake, given the improved road access once the project is completed. The North Shore area ’ s relative affordability has pushed sell-through in the segment above $1 million. 26 homes closed in the fourth quarter vs 18 in the prior year ’ s last quarter, an increase of over 40%.
North Shore Home Sales
Concord & Cabarrus
Cabarrus County continued its transformation into a luxury destination, with 98 homes closing just below $1 million vs 78 in the prior year ’ s ending quarter. In the million-plus segment, a large spike of nearly 200% drove results in the quarter, as 15 homes closed above $1 million vs just 5 in the prior year ’ s fourth quarter. An additional 5 homes in the range were pending heading into the first quarter, including a $2 million estate home on the western side of the County.
Concord & Cabarrus Home Sales
Lake Hickory & Lake Rhodhiss
Riding a similar affordability wave to the north end of Lake Norman, Lake Hickory and Lake Rhodiss continue to attract more interest. In the luxury range above $1 million in list price, the area saw 9 closings in the fourth quarter, up from 6 in 2024, a very solid performance given the time of year. The area is also beginning to percolate over $2 million in value, with prime waterfront settings starting to crest the ultraluxury price threshold.
Lake Hickory & Lake Rhodhiss
Home Sales
Forecast: Sustained Luxury Demand with Measured Growth
The Lake region and northern suburbs of Charlotte continued to push forward, with positive sales momentum driving luxury transactions that included a 16% increase in closings over $2 million. Despite the national media’s reporting of slowdowns elsewhere, this region’s ability to attract record numbers of buyers has not slowed. What has impacted the region are a couple of factors: rising inventory is giving buyers more options to choose from, as well as more bargaining power in select situations. Updated or newer constructed homes continue to attract audiences, albeit without quite the level of frothiness that had impacted pricing the prior 3 years. Prices have not declined; they are just not rising at the same pace.
We forecast the $2 million segment to produce sell-through for 2026 in the range of around 225 units closed, with 12-15 homes trading above $5 million in list price. This assumes semi-stable economic conditions and fiscal policy, which in this day and age can shift more rapidly and thus produce periods of retraction in activity despite the accumulation of household net worth seen over recent years. Longer term, the Lake Norman region should produce similar returns to its historical average of 6% plus appreciation.
