Big Canoe Market Report: End-of-Summer

There’s been a lot of conversation this summer about the Big Canoe real estate market.

I’ve heard comments like, “The market is awful right now,” and “There are too many homes for sale.”

The data tells a different—and more nuanced—story.

The market isn’t collapsing. It’s becoming more selective.

Buyers have more choices, sellers have more competition, and buyers are taking their time to make sure they’re getting value. But they are still buying.

The Market by the Numbers

Looking at May 1 through July 31, here’s how we compare with 2025:

The headline here is simple:

Prices are stable. Sales are up. Inventory is higher.

That means buyers have more choices, but it does not mean buyers have disappeared.

What Are Buyers Buying?

Of the 35 homes that sold during May–July:

  • 9 sold for $500,000 or less, including 4 in the $400s

  • 16 sold between $500,000 and $750,000

  • 7 sold between $750,000 and $1 million

  • 5 sold for more than $1 million

The largest concentration of sales was between $500,000 and $750,000, but there was activity throughout the market—including five sales above $1 million.

Condos and townhomes remain a small segment simply because there aren't many available. Fewer than five were generally listed at any given time during the summer, and three sold during the May–July period.

Buyers Are Negotiating

Here's a number sellers need to pay attention to:

Of the 35 homes that sold during May–July:

0 sold over asking.


4 sold at asking.


31 sold below asking.

The typical sale-to-list-price ratio was 96.1%.

So yes, buyers are negotiating.

But this doesn't mean sellers should automatically price their homes 4% below market value.

It means pricing strategy matters.

Today's buyers have access to sold data. They can compare your home with other properties and determine whether they believe they're getting value.

Price it right. Price it to sell. Don't price it to negotiate.

What Are Buyers Looking For?

After working with buyers this summer, I'm hearing the same things repeatedly.

Views. Have one? Vista prune it. Show it off.

Updated kitchens and bathrooms. Buyers notice the difference between a home that feels current and one that feels dated.

Less carpet. Yes, this really does come up.

Good maintenance. Buyers notice deferred maintenance—and they tend to assign a higher cost to fixing it than a seller might.

And above all: Value.

Buyers aren't necessarily looking for the cheapest home. They're looking for the home that makes the most sense for the money.

What About Inventory?

Yes, inventory is up 22.3% from last year. But we're still well below some historical levels.

In July 2014, there were approximately 304 homes for sale in Big Canoe. Today, there are 126, including detached homes, townhomes and condos.

The market has changed significantly since 2014, so it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. But it provides useful perspective.

We have more choices today than we did during the pandemic-era market, but we're not dealing with historically excessive inventory.

Looking Ahead

Over the past three years, May and September have consistently been strong months for closed sales in Big Canoe.

We're watching September closely.

Currently, 16 homes are slated to close in September, which would be approximately 20% below the previous two years.

December has also been a strong sales month in recent years, so we'll see how the year finishes.

The Bottom Line

Is the Big Canoe market different from a few years ago?

Absolutely.

Is it awful?

No.

It's a more balanced market where buyers have choices and sellers need to compete.

The right homes are still selling—and some are selling quickly.

The difference is that today's buyer is informed, selective and willing to negotiate.

For sellers, the formula is straightforward:

Price it right. Prepare it well. Show it off.

For buyers:

Know what you want, know the value, and be ready to act when the right home comes along.

Because while buyers may be picky…

They. Are. Buying. :-)

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Questions about the real estate market in Big Canoe? Contact Margot.

margot@realestateinthegate.com | (678) 807-4433