Columbia Area Real Estate Is Outpacing the Nation: What the June 2026 Numbers Tell Us

If you have been wondering whether now is a good time to buy, sell, or invest in the Midlands, the newest housing data gives a clear answer: the Columbia area is not just keeping pace with the national market, it is beating it.

According to the June 2026 Housing Supply Overview from South Carolina REALTORS®, based on data from the Consolidated Multiple Listing Service (CMLS), which covers Columbia and the surrounding Midlands region, local activity is growing faster than the country as a whole across nearly every major metric.

Pending Sales Are Climbing Faster Locally Than Nationally

Nationally, pending home sales rose 3.8 percent in the latest reading, marking four straight months of gains, with contract signings up 4.8 percent compared to a year ago.

In the Columbia area, pending sales grew even more over the trailing 12 months, up 5.0 percent overall for the period running July 2025 through June 2026. That is a full percentage point ahead of the national year over year pace.

The strongest local growth came from higher end homes. Contracts on properties priced above 1,000,000 dollars jumped 14.1 percent, and homes in the 750,000 to 1,000,000 dollar range rose 12.3 percent. Three bedroom homes led by bedroom count, up 6.8 percent, and condos outperformed single family homes on a percentage basis, rising 7.1 percent compared to 4.7 percent for single family properties.

Closed Sales Confirm the Trend

Talk is one thing, closings are another, and the Midlands delivered there too. Closed sales across all properties rose 4.5 percent locally. Condos were the standout performer, with closings up 13.7 percent, more than triple the pace of single family homes at 3.6 percent.

The luxury tier again led the way, with homes above 1,000,000 dollars seeing closed sales climb 15.6 percent and the 750,000 to 1,000,000 dollar range up 13.8 percent. This tells us buyer confidence at the higher price points is real, not just window shopping.

Prices Are Rising, But Not Overheating

The median sales price across the Columbia area increased 1.8 percent to 280,000 dollars. Single family homes led the gain, up 1.8 percent to 290,000 dollars, while condos rose a more modest 1.5 percent to 207,000 dollars.

For comparison, that is a healthy, measured pace of appreciation rather than a runaway market, which is good news for both buyers trying to plan a budget and sellers who want realistic expectations.

Homes in the 150,001 to 250,000 dollar range sold the fastest locally, in an average of 50 days, while properties above 1,000,000 dollars took the longest at 58 days. That is a normal pattern: entry level and move up homes move quickest, while luxury properties take a bit more time to find the right buyer.

Inventory Is Building, Giving Buyers More Room to Breathe

This is where the Columbia market really stands apart. Local inventory jumped 32.1 percent year over year, with single family inventory up 32.3 percent and condo inventory up 29.9 percent. The biggest gains were concentrated at the top of the market, with listings above 1,000,000 dollars up 70.1 percent and the 750,000 to 1,000,000 dollar segment up 48.0 percent.

Months supply of inventory rose from 2.6 to 3.3 months overall. That is still considered a seller favorable market under six months of supply, but it is loosening compared to a year ago.

That means buyers finally have more options and a bit more negotiating room than they did in 2025.

Sellers Are Still Getting Strong Offers

Even with more inventory on the market, sellers are not losing much ground. The percent of list price received held essentially steady at 98.2 percent across all properties, down just 0.1 percent from last year. Homes priced between 250,000 and 750,000 dollars are still fetching between 98.4 and 98.9 percent of asking price, a sign that well priced homes in the sweet spot of the market are moving with minimal negotiation.

What This Means If You Are Buying, Selling, or Investing in the Midlands

For buyers: growing inventory, especially in the move up and luxury segments, means more choices than you had a year ago. You are not going to steal a home, but you have breathing room that simply did not exist in recent years.

For sellers: pricing still matters. Homes priced right are selling close to full ask in around 50 days. Overpricing in a market with 32 percent more competition is a fast way to sit unsold.

For investors: the data points toward continued, sustainable appreciation rather than a bubble, paired with a meaningful jump in available inventory. That combination, rising demand plus rising supply, is exactly the kind of environment that rewards investors who know how to source deals and move quickly, whether that is single family rentals, condos, or value add opportunities across Berkeley, Lexington, Richland, and the greater Midlands footprint.

The bottom line: while the national market is showing encouraging signs of recovery, Columbia and the surrounding Midlands are growing faster on nearly every measure that matters, pending sales, closed sales, price appreciation, and inventory. If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to see where this market is headed, the data suggests the Midlands is headed up, and it is headed up faster than most of the country.

Data source: South Carolina REALTORS® Housing Supply Overview, June 2026, based on Consolidated Multiple Listing Service, Inc. data current as of July 10, 2026. Report by ShowingTime Plus, LLC.