Real estate market update

As we move into the heart of the spring selling season, the Bluffton real estate market is sending a very clear signal. Inventory is not building the way it typically does this time of year, demand remains strong, and key indicators suggest upward pressure on pricing as we move deeper into 2026.

Let’s start with inventory. There are currently 720 homes for sale in Bluffton. Last month, there were 739 homes on the market, which represents a 2.6% decline.
More importantly, this time last year there were 1,006 properties available. To see inventory this low in early spring, we have to go back to 2022, when there were 698 homes for sale. The ten-year average for this time of year is 1,099 homes. We are dramatically below normal seasonal levels. When inventory contracts during a time of year it typically expands, that is a strong signal that pricing could accelerate in the months ahead.

Days on market plummeted to 77 days, down from 93 last month, a 17.2% decline in just one month. That is a significant shift. Interestingly, this time last year homes were also averaging 77 days on market. The sharp drop from last month indicates renewed urgency among buyers as we enter peak season.

Pending sales are also impressive. Year to date, there are 352 homes under contract, compared to 316 at this time last year. That is an 11.4% increase in pending activity, despite substantially lower inventory. Demand is clearly absorbing what little supply is available.

Closed sales year to date sit at 245, compared to 281 at this time last year. While that is lower on the surface, the surge in pending contracts suggests we are likely to see closed sales surpass last year’s pace in the near future.

The absorption rate currently stands at 2.0 months of inventory, down from 2.1 months last month, a 4.8% improvement. Anything under four months is considered a seller’s market, and Bluffton is firmly planted in that category.

Median sale prices over the past five years show the broader trend. In 2021 the median price was $375,000. In 2022 it rose to $469,800. In 2023 it reached $514,000. In 2024 it climbed to $540,000. In 2025 it came in at $526,072. So far in 2026, the median price is $550,000, marking a new high.

The current market condition is clearly a strong seller’s market. Inventory is historically low, demand is rising, and pricing momentum is building. If these trends continue, 2026 could shape up to be another year of meaningful appreciation in Bluffton.

Dan Prud’homme is the visionary & success coach of The Prud’homme Team at William Raveis Real Estate. dan@danprudhomme.com theprudhommeteam.com