Why the Holidays Can Be Prime Time for Real Estate Investors

Triad & Triangle Market Snapshot for Year-End Buying and Selling

Most investors treat the holidays like a “pause button” — they wait for spring, assume there are no deals, and tell themselves they’ll jump back in when the market “picks up.”

That mindset is leaving money on the table.

Right now, in both the Triad and Triangle markets, we’re seeing the exact combination most investors say they want:

• Properties sitting longer

• Price growth slowing or flattening in certain pockets

• More price reductions

• But overall values and demand still healthy

In other words: solid fundamentals + motivated sellers = opportunity.

Below is a breakdown of what’s really happening — and how investors can use this season strategically for both buying and selling.

Statewide Backdrop: North Carolina Is Cooling, Not Crashing

Before zooming into the Triad and Triangle, it helps to see the statewide picture.

• In October 2025, the median NC home price was about $387,200, up 3% year over year.

• The median days on market climbed to 60 days, up by about 12 days from last year.

• Roughly 33.7% of homes had price drops, while only 15.2% sold above list price.

Translation for investors:
Prices are still trending upward overall, but sellers are having to work harder — and wait longer — to get those numbers. That’s exactly the environment where strong offers from serious investors stand out.

The Triad: Numbers That Favor Patient Investors

Quick Data Snapshot (October 2025)

• Guilford County (Greensboro & surrounding):

  • Median sale price: ≈$306K, up 2% YoY

  • Median days on market: 40 days (up from 35 last year)

• Greensboro (city):

  • Median sale price: ≈$282K, basically flat (-0.35% YoY)

  • Median days on market: 36 days, up from 33 last year

• Winston-Salem (city):

  • Median sale price: ≈$273K, down about 2.7% YoY

  • Median days on market: 46 days, up from 34 last year

What this tells you:

1. Affordability + Liquidity
   Prices are modest compared to many U.S. metros, but homes are still trading every month. That’s good for flips and BRRRR deals: you’re not buying into a dead market, you’re buying into a slightly slower but still active one.

2. Longer Days on Market = More Negotiation Room
   When a property sits 40–46 days instead of 25–30, motivated sellers start listening to clean offers, repair credits, and creative terms. That’s your opening to:

   • Negotiate price improvements

   • Ask for seller concessions or rate buydowns

   • Capture equity on the buy side instead of hoping the market gives it to you later

3. Micro-Markets Still Heating Up
   Even while Winston-Salem’s overall median price is down, certain ZIPs and neighborhoods are still appreciating. For example, the 27106 area (Northwest Winston-Salem) shows a median of about $388K, up 14% YoY, even though homes now sit around 50 days on market. 
   For investors, that looks like: “slower to sell, but values are climbing” — perfect for well-executed rehabs and medium-term holds.

How Investors Can Play the Triad Holiday Market

For Buyers

• Target listings that have been sitting 30+ days with one or more price reductions.

• Look for properties where cosmetics are the main issue: old kitchens, dated baths, worn flooring, but no major structural or location problems.

• Focus on areas where median pricing is flat or slightly down but rent demand is solid — that’s where cash flow has the best chance to work.

For Sellers (Flippers & Portfolio Rebalances)

• If you have a completed flip, don’t automatically hold it for spring.

  • Holiday buyers in this price bracket often have job relocations or life transitions and need move-in ready homes now.

• Price realistically, present flawlessly, and leverage the fact that inventory drops as many sellers pull their homes for the holidays.

Result: your flip can stand out and still trade while the competition is sleeping.

The Triangle: Higher Prices, Longer DOM, and More Selective Buyers

The Triangle is still the tech-and-jobs magnet of NC… but even strong markets get tired.

Quick Data Snapshot (October 2025)

• Wake County (Raleigh & suburbs):

  • Median sale price: ≈$479K, up about 1.1% YoY

  • Median days on market: 48 days, up from 33 last year

  • Number of homes sold: down about 5% YoY

• Raleigh (city):

  • Median sale price: ≈$437K, up 0.4% YoY

  • Median days on market: 41 days (up from 33)

• Durham County:

  • Median sale price: ≈$405K, down 2.8% YoY

  • Median days on market: ≈46–47 days, up from 32 last year

What this tells you:

1. Values Are High, But Momentum Has Slowed
   Wake County and Raleigh are still more expensive than the Triad, but price growth is basically flat. Durham County is actually slightly down year over year. At the same time, days on market have stretched by 10–15 days in many parts of the Triangle.

2. Buyers Are Hesitating, Not Disappearing
   Local reports show that homes across Wake, Durham, and Orange counties are taking longer to sell as both buyers and sellers hesitate amid higher prices and rates. Axios
   For investors, that’s not a sign to run; it’s a sign to tighten your underwriting and negotiate harder.

3. Holiday Window = Less Competition for High-Quality Assets
   When retail buyers and some investors decide to “wait until spring,” serious investors can:

   • Step into good locations with less competition

   • Lock in properties at late-year pricing

   • Negotiate repairs, concessions, or rate buydowns that improve overall returns

How Investors Can Play the Triangle Holiday Market

For Buyers

• In the Triangle, your buy box needs to be precise. With higher prices, the numbers must work on day one.

• Focus on:

  • Small multifamily, townhomes, and condos in strong rental corridors

  • Neighborhoods where days on market have jumped but fundamentals (jobs, amenities, schools, access to RTP) are still solid

• Use longer DOM to write offers that include:

  • Closing cost credits

  • Repair allowances instead of asking for full work to be done

  • Slightly below-ask offers paired with strong terms (tight inspection periods, solid earnest money, quick close when possible)

For Sellers / Flippers

• If you’re exiting a Triangle flip or 12–24 month hold, understand that buyers now have more choices and more time to think.

• Price at — or just below — the most recent strong comp instead of trying to “set the next record.”

• Lean into presentation and lifestyle marketing: show why your property still deserves top-tier attention even in a more cautious environment.

Well-priced, well-presented homes are still selling; it’s the unrealistic pricing that’s sitting.

Holiday Strategy: Buying, Selling, and Positioning for 2026

No matter which side of I-40 you prefer, a few principles apply across both the Triad and Triangle right now:

1. Underwrite for Today, Not 2021.
   Use today’s rents, today’s rates, today’s DOM, and realistic exit prices. The good news: when your deal works under conservative assumptions, any upside is bonus.

2. Leverage Longer DOM Without Being Predatory.
   Many sellers are exhausted — mentally and financially. Clean terms and certainty can often matter more than squeezing the last dollar.

3. Think in Seasons, Not Weeks.
   If you acquire during the holidays, your rehab or stabilization timeline may land you perfectly for:

   • Spring retail buyers (for flips)

   • Summer leasing season (for rentals and medium-term rentals)

4. Use This Time to Rebalance Your Portfolio.

   • Exit underperforming assets while overall prices remain historically high.

   • Trade into stronger cash-flow markets or neighborhoods.

   • Line up 2026 1031 strategies with your CPA and attorney.

Want Numbers on a Specific Property?

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in the Triad or Triangle during the holidays, you don’t need generic advice — you need property-specific analysis:

• ARV and realistic list price ranges

• Rent projections and cash-flow scenarios

• Exit strategies (flip vs. BRRRR vs. long-term hold)

• Risk factors (condition, location, financing, zoning, historic-district rules, etc.)

That’s exactly what I help investor clients with — before, during, and after the transaction.

📲 Call or text (336) 567-5843
Brokered by Real Broker, LLC — NCREL #312309
Jessica J. Baldovinos | @JessicaJBRealtor
🔗 Book your investor strategy call: https://calendly.com/jessicajbrealtor