Looking Ahead: What I’m Watching in 2026

Every December I sit down and try to write the year ahead in a single page. It is never quite right, but the exercise forces me to separate what I actually know from what I am guessing. Here is the version I keep coming back to for 2026.

The broader market: a slower digestion

The Charleston market spent several years absorbing extraordinary appreciation, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year of digesting that meal. We are unlikely to see the aggressive year-over-year price jumps we saw earlier this decade. That is not a weakness in the market. It is a healthier rhythm, one where sellers who prepare carefully and price well still win, and buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines get more genuine opportunities.

The supply picture is the part I am watching most closely. Active listings rose meaningfully through 2025, which gives buyers real options for the first time in a while. That shifts the work the seller has to do. Presentation, condition, and pricing precision matter more in a market with more inventory.

The luxury tier marches to a different beat

At the high end, the dynamics are not what most market headlines describe. The luxury market continues to run on its own logic, largely disentangled from mortgage rates because most buyers are using cash or borrowing against investments. Two record-setting transactions last year, at $18.25 million and $21.575 million, were a reminder that the top of the Charleston market is not really sensitive to the macro picture. There is one Charleston, and the people who want a piece of it are still arriving.

That said, even the luxury tier is competitive and price-conscious. Buyers at this level expect homes to be in real condition and priced with discipline. The era of throwing a number at the market and hoping is over, at every price point.

What this means if you are selling

If you are planning to list in 2026, my honest read is that three things will matter more than they have in years: pricing precision, pre-listing preparation, and presentation. Get the price right against current comps, not last year’s. Address the deferred items before the inspection finds them. Invest in the marketing the home actually deserves. The homes that did this in 2025 outperformed; I expect the same in 2026.

Start early. The Charleston market tends to gather momentum in the spring, and getting in front of repairs, staging, and photography makes the difference between a smooth launch and a scramble.

What this means if you are buying

If you are buying, this is a better market to be in than the last few years. There is more inventory, more time to make a considered decision, and more room to negotiate on properties that have lingered. That does not extend to the truly iconic homes, which still move quickly when they hit the market. For those, the work is being ready, financially and emotionally, before the right one surfaces.

Talk to a mortgage provider early, even if you think you know your number. Many buyers discover they have more options than they realized once they actually look at the financing landscape.

The constant

What does not change in 2026 is what has not changed in any of the years I’ve been doing this. Charleston is a relationship market as much as a real estate market. Buyers and sellers who treat their Realtor as a partner, not a vendor, end up with better outcomes. The thoughtful, elevated experience I want every client to have is the same whether the home is a first place or a multimillion-dollar property. I take time to understand the lifestyle and priorities behind the transaction. That is the part that does not show up in the data, and it is the part that tends to determine whether a year goes well.

If you want to talk through how any of this applies to your situation, I’m glad to set up a conversation.

Source: Barry Waldman, "2026 Predictions: What will the real estate market in Charleston look like in the year ahead?", The Post and Courier, December 27, 2025.