203 homes sold in St. James in the last year, at a typical $682K
About one sale in 6 is a condo. 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 St. James homes are listed.
Every place St. James 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 St. James.
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.
15% of St. James’ sales are condos, at $354K less than a house
171 houses and 31 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster.
typical sale · 171 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $264NC $207
- Days to sell
- 93
- Sold over asking
- 5%
- Listings with a price cut
- 32%
typical sale · 31 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $268NC $275
- Days to sell
- 160
- Sold over asking
- 3%
- Listings with a price cut
- 24%
Townhouses: 1 sold, typical $485K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.9 times the 2016 price
203 sales in the last year, against 353 in 2021 and a low of 93 in 2012. The typical sale went from $365K in 2016 to $682K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $700K buys in St. James
Check a listing against what St. James 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 St. James are back to pre-pandemic levels, but a quarter fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of St. James’ 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 May 2026, 203 sales.
If you’re buying in St. James
- Shop in March. It brings about 30 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (7% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.5% of the list price on average; 4% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 23% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 93 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
March has the most new listings (about 30 a month), but June is the most competitive: 15% of June sales close over asking. March has the least competition (7%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and calmer than North Carolina
| St. James now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | NC now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 4% | 4% | 29% | 17% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 23% | 0% | 1% | 30% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 31% | — | — | 27% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.5% | 96.5% | 99% | 97.8% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 93 | 148 | 72 | 62 |
92 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s twice the 2023 low (46), 22% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2016’s 136.
1 in 3 listings has cut its price
31% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 27% across North Carolina.
Since 2019, houses are up 76%, condos 120%
A house typically sold for $744K in the last year (171 sales), a condo for $390K (31).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
St. James ranks 221st of 224 busy North Carolina markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. St. James is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical St. James home costs about $3,815 a month
Price: St. James’ typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at St. James’ 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 St. James 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 11.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $682K home, about $3,080 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for St. James, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in St. JamesTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in St. James.
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.
Boiling Spring Lakes sells for less a square foot; Oak Island, Caswell Beach, Bald Head Island and Kure Beach for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of St. James, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Island | 612 | $635K | $417 | 6% | 81 |
| St. James | 203 | $682K | $266 | 4% | 93 |
| Boiling Spring Lakes | 190 | $307K | $216 | 21% | 65 |
| Southport | 154 | $551K | $287 | 7% | 94 |
| Bald Head Island | 126 | $1.1M | $587 | 6% | 81 |
| Kure Beach | 102 | $747K | $413 | 8% | 94 |
| Caswell Beach | 23 | $614K | $473 | 9% | 125 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to St. James, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to St. James. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing St. James with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in St. James
What do homes sell for in St. James, NC?
203 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $682K, $266 a square foot. Houses sold for about $744K, condos for about $390K.
Is St. James a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 108 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 18 sold, about 6 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.5% of asking on average, and 31% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in St. James?
March brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in St. James?
About 0.5% of a home’s value a year. On a $682K home that’s near $3,080.
Where can I see homes for sale in St. James?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry St. James’ MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to St. James.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 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).