43 homes sold in Cape Carteret in the last year, at a typical $488K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Cape Carteret homes are listed.
Every place Cape Carteret homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Cape Carteret.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 100% of Cape Carteret’s sales, at a typical $447K (year to May 2026)
43 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
typical sale · 39 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $227NC $207
- Days to sell
- 58
- Sold over asking
- 13%
- Listings with a price cut
- 34%
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
43 sales in the last year, against 63 in 2018 and a low of 34 in 2012. The typical sale went from $243K in 2016 to $488K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $500K buys in Cape Carteret
Check a listing against what Cape Carteret homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Cape Carteret are back to pre-pandemic levels, but 62% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Cape Carteret’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 43 sales.
If you’re buying in Cape Carteret
- Shop in February. It brings about 8 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (18% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.9% of the list price on average; 11% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 27% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 71 days.
Spring brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
March has the most new listings (about 9 a month), but May is the most competitive: 36% of May sales close over asking. January has the least competition (4%) but only about 4 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like North Carolina as a whole
| Cape Carteret now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | NC now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 11% | 12% | 44% | 15% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 27% | 1% | 0% | 29% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.9% | 96.6% | 99.8% | 97.8% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 71 | 121 | 56 | 67 |
10 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.5 times the 2023 low (7), 62% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 41.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Cape Carteret home costs about $2,747 a month
Price: Cape Carteret’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Cape Carteret’s 0.5% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Cape Carteret is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in March
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 3.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $488K home, about $2,410 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Cape Carteret, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Cape CarteretTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Cape Carteret.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Peletier, Swansboro and Newport sell for less a square foot; Emerald Isle and Indian Beach for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Cape Carteret, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Isle | 204 | $852K | $503 | 8% | 91 |
| Swansboro | 85 | $376K | $200 | 15% | 54 |
| Newport | 71 | $329K | $201 | 17% | 54 |
| Cedar Point | 45 | $481K | $252 | 12% | 119 |
| Indian Beach | 44 | $613K | $479 | 0% | 106 |
| Cape Carteret | 43 | $488K | $236 | 11% | 71 |
| Peletier | 22 | $365K | $191 | 9% | 71 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Cape Carteret, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Cape Carteret. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Cape Carteret with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Cape Carteret
What do homes sell for in Cape Carteret, NC?
43 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $488K, $236 a square foot.
Is Cape Carteret a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 9 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 5 sold, about 1.6 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.9% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Cape Carteret?
March brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Cape Carteret?
About 0.5% of a home’s value a year. On a $488K home that’s near $2,410.
Where can I see homes for sale in Cape Carteret?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Cape Carteret’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Cape Carteret.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).