On the heels of Opendoor’s recent national First-Time Home Seller report, we’re diving even deeper into how a smaller subset of homeowners are navigating the housing market in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. We surveyed 250 first-time home sellers in these markets as part of the broader 1,000 sellers surveyed. The general temperature? Homeowners are figuring out what’s next for them in their homebuying journey after reflecting on past purchases and behaviors.
Life After Pandemic Homebuying Boom in North Carolina
According to US Census Bureau data, since April 1, 2020, there was an estimated net gain of more than 500,00 people moving to North Carolina. At the height of the pandemic, homeowners were looking for more space, more peace of mind, and were taking advantage of low-interest rates. Now, five years post-pandemic, some homeowners are looking back on their purchases and what drove their initial move.
In Charlotte, 87% of home sellers feel they made a pandemic-era mistake, with 40% stating they were rushing to buy a house based off the market conditions, followed by underestimating maintenance costs or hidden expenses. And now? 92% of first-time home sellers said that pandemic-era mistakes influenced their decision to sell.
In Raleigh, 78% of home sellers also feel they made a pandemic-era mistake, with their #1 regret being not considering how inflation and interest rates might affect long-term affordability, followed by buying a home too soon or one that didn’t fully meet their needs. Now, 88% of first-time home sellers said that pandemic-era mistakes influenced their decision to sell. What’s next for these homeowners? Time to course-correct.
North Carolinians Want Less Headache, More Support
Just as the housing market has transformed, sellers’ expectations have also evolved, including what surprises them about themselves and throughout the homeselling process.
Out of the North Carolinians who recently sold their first home, less than a quarter of recent sellers were fully prepared for selling. In fact, 75% of Charlotte sellers and 64% of Raleigh sellers were surprised by the amount of effort it took to prepare and sell their homes. And now knowing the hassle of staging, repairs, or the uncertainty of offers, 71% of first-time home sellers in Charlotte and 63% of sellers in Raleigh would have accepted 20% less for their home to avoid the stress of preparing it for a sale. The average home value is $329, 210 in North Carolina, which means that home sellers would forgo nearly $66,000 to save the headache.
Looking ahead, over two-thirds of both Charlotte and Raleigh first-time sellers don’t plan to buy a new home immediately after closing the deal, indicating they’ll live with friends and family, rent, or wait till conditions improve. A trend we’re seeing as the home seller “gap year,” a pause or brief hiatus before buying again.
For those North Carolinians sellers moving into their next phase – whether that’s for financial considerations or to make a lifestyle change, Opendoor is here to be a partner every step of the way. Visit our new Seller Hub for the resources, tips, and insights you need to make your sale as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Methodology: The Opendoor Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative US First-Time Homesellers, defined as those who sold their first home in the past 12 months, or who currently have their first home on the market, between February 21st and March 6th, 2025, using an email invitation and an online survey. 250 of those surveyed were in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina.