Published October 6, 2026 in Market Update

North Myrtle Beach prices slipped a little, not the whole market

By Bill Sullivan

Real estate, Primary market

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year through the second quarter of 2026. North Myrtle Beach went a different direction. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median sale price of $431,000 in ZIP 29582 for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is down 1.7% from the same months a year before. For buyers, that is a little breathing room. For sellers, it is worth knowing before you pick a number.

A price dip does not mean demand left. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 477 homes sold in ZIP 29582 in those same three months. That is up 12.5% from a year before. More homes changed hands even as the median price eased. That is not a market falling apart.

Inventory pulled back, and that changes the picture

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 857 homes for sale in ZIP 29582 for the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is down 16.5% from a year before. Fewer homes on the market means less competition for sellers, even with a softer median price. Nationally, the National Association of Realtors put months of supply at 4.9 months, the highest in over ten years. ZIP 29582 came in at 5.5 months, a little above that, but down 1.9 months from last year.

Rates crossed 7% again. That is the other number to watch.

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. Realtor.com noted rates crossed 7% in late September for the first time since January 2025. That affects what buyers can afford. It also affects how sellers need to price. A home priced right still moves. The Real Estate Data Aggregator showed 21.3% of homes in ZIP 29582 went under contract within two weeks of listing in the three months ending July 31, 2026.

Cherry Grove: channel side and beach side are not the same story

Cherry Grove is the only section of NMB with channel homes and boat docks. Channel-side buyers want water access, not just a beach address. If you own or want a channel home, flood insurance is a real ownership cost. It is not a footnote. Price it in before you make an offer or set an asking price. The beach side of Cherry Grove is a separate market with different buyers and different numbers.

OD, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill: condos carry their own costs

Oceanfront high-rise condos are a main property type in OD, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill. OD is the busiest section, with Main Street, shag dancing, and SOS drawing steady traffic. If you are looking at a condo in any of these sections, HOA dues and special assessments are real ownership costs. Ask about them before you fall in love with a unit. East of Highway 17 is mostly short-term rental friendly, but that must be verified for any specific property. No income figure is a sure thing.

West of Highway 17: a different kind of buyer

Off-beach single-family homes west of Highway 17 draw year-round residents, families, retirees, and buyers priced out of the beach side. These are not vacation-rental plays by default. They are homes people live in. Most of these properties sit mostly outside the high-risk flood zones, but that must be confirmed for any specific address. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 445 homes sold in ZIP 29568 in the three months ending July 31, 2026, up 34.8% from a year before. Months of supply there came in at 2.7 months, the tightest of any ZIP in this market.

The market-wide picture

Across all six ZIP codes together, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2,062 homes sold in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 4.1% from the same period a year before. Homes for sale across the market totaled 2,894, down 18.6% year over year. New listings came in at 2,430, up 3.8%. Pending sales stood at 2,168, down 3.5%. More homes sold, fewer sat on the shelf. That is the honest summary.

Every ZIP code above covers a wide area. A channel home in Cherry Grove, an oceanfront condo in OD, and a single-family home west of Highway 17 are three different markets. The numbers above are a starting point, not the whole answer for your address.