Wilmington, NC- You don’t have to be a real estate expert to know that 2021 was a unique year in the housing market. We’ve all heard the stories of homes going under contract just hours after being listed. Maybe you know someone who put in an offer, well above the asking price, only to lose out to someone who was willing to pay more. And have you gasped, or gulped, or found yourself saying “wow!” every time a luxury home set a new record as the most expensive property sold in the area- it happened three times this year.
Yes, 2021 was like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
Nowhere else was that more true than in the luxury housing market which saw a total of 558 homes, with a price tag of $1 million or more, sell in the tri-county area. Collectively those transactions had a combined value of nearly a billion dollars.
“I personally got to a point where I didn’t think anything could shock me anymore,” said Scott Saxton an agent with Just For Buyers Realty, a firm that keeps track of area real estate statistics. “So many records were broken in 2021 that you almost became numb to it all, and you didn’t think it could phase you anymore. And then I saw the final numbers, and once again 2021 managed to blow me away.”
Here are the top five years in luxury homes sales throughout the tri-county area. 2021 is not only the most profitable year, it also far outpaced anything already on the books.
| RANKING | YEAR | NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD | TOTAL VOLUME |
| 1 | 2021 | 558 | $926.2 Million |
| 2 | 2020 | 361 | $594.1 Million |
| 3 | 2005 | 268 | $414.8 Million |
| 4 | 2006 | 203 | $347.3 Million |
| 5 | 2019 | 174 | $295.4 Million |
The record breaking year ended by breaking yet another record. The luxury housing market posted its best December ever with a total of 45 sales worth $69.3 million.
The most expensive home to sell in the month was located at 4 Stede Bonnet Close on Bald Head Island. The 4,500 square foot home offered six bedrooms and six bathrooms. It was on the market for only 22 days before going under contract. The sale closed on December 9 for $3,750,000 million. It was one of 28 luxury homes to sell in Brunswick County during the month, compared to 14 in New Hanover County and three in Pender County.
(4 Stede Bonnet Close courtesy of Doug Oakley, Intracoastal Realty)
| New Hanover County
Dec 2021 / Dec 2020 |
Brunswick County
Dec 2021 / Dec 2020 |
Pender County
Dec 2021 / Dec 2020 |
||||
| Newly Listed | 8 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 3 | |
| Went Under Contract | 8 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Closed # Homes Sold | 14 | 15 | 28 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Closed $ Volume | $24.7M | $23.1M | $40.1M | $28.2M | $4.5M | $4.3M |
| Total Current Listings | 58 | 88 | 38 | 54 | 21 | 16 |
*Luxury homes are defined as those priced at $1,000,000 or higher. Statistics are from the North Carolina Regional Multiple Listing Service.
This report is presented by Just for Buyers Realty. As the name implies, Just For Buyers Realty serves only buyers. In a state where buyers purchase real estate at their own risk, the company’s mission is to serve as Superheroes for Buyers, using all of the secrets of the trade to protect buyers at every stage of the process. Contact Just For Buyers Realty by calling 910-202-4813 or by e-mail at info@JustForBuyersRealty.com, or visit www.JustForBuyersRealty.com