Realtors say January's residential market in the Wilmington area saw more homes listed and higher prices than the same month last year.

In Pender County alone, the median sales price for homes leapt nearly 22%, rising from $390,000 in January 2024 to $474,900 last month, according to Cape Fear Realtors.

For the Wilmington MSA, which includes New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, the number of units sold was flat last month compared to January 2024, while active listings jumped by 18% and the median sales price increased from $400,000 to $411,000, a CFR news release stated Thursday. CFR compiled the statistics from Hive Multiple Listing Service.

Compared to December 2024, January's new listings experienced a 66% increase and pending sales rose 28% in the Wilmington MSA.

Brittany Allen, president of Cape Fear Realtors this year, stated in the release, “The Wilmington MSA continues to see a rise in available homes and a steady increase in the median sales price. These two consistent trends have been noted for months. January 2025 saw an influx of new inventory on the market as the closed sales experienced a dip. Not uncommon, as December 2024 has historically been a slower month for our area."

Allen added, "I expect to see a leveling out of these two metrics as we navigate the first quarter of the year."