We are lucky to live in Charleston! We feel secure in our home’s equity as our town continues to explode in popularity. We remember when Snee Farm was the boonies, when you had to drive through Sullivan’s Island to get to the Isle of Palms, and when people went hunting on James Island. Charleston has changed so much, so quickly. Some of us locals grimace at the change and cringe at the traffic. We aren’t crazy about the fact that everyone wants to live here. Yet all the people who have moved here have enriched our community. To others, what we consider traffic is nothing compared to where they came from. Living here, we’ve learned that growth and change are inevitable.

What will 2026 bring? REALTOR® Chip Davis is here to shed some light on the year to come. Home values are predicted to continue to rise. Even with interest rates suppressing the market, we saw home prices increase by 4% in 2025 compared to 2024. The National Association of Realtors has just named Charleston one of the top 10 home-buying hot spots in the country for 2026. Home sales are expected to rise, and mortgage rates are expected to decline. Trends in our local market matter more than national headlines. We expect a larger price increase this year. Charleston will continue to expand geographically, with hot home markets seeing new construction in areas like Hollywood and Meggett, which we discussed last time. As interest rates improve, home sales will as well. We truly are lucky to live in such a prosperous community.

If you would like a quick, no-pressure update on your neighborhood or price range, just reach out,  I’m happy to help. Chip Davis our preferred REALTOR® from Matt O’Neill Real Estate. Call/text him at 843-926-7710 or email cdavis@mattoneillteam.com.