High Country Real Estate
Is 2026 a Good Year to Buy a Mountain Home?
Andrew Plyler, REALTOR® ·
I get this question every spring, and this year it's coming with more urgency than usual. Buyers who've been sitting on the sidelines for two or three years are starting to wonder if waiting is still the right call. Here's my honest read on the market as of early 2026.
The Rate Environment
Mortgage rates have come off their 2023 peaks but remain elevated. For mountain buyers, this matters differently than in primary home markets — a significant percentage of High Country buyers are paying cash or using equity from their primary residence. That group is less rate-sensitive.
For financed buyers, the calculus depends on your use case. If you're buying as a pure STR investment, the rate environment requires more careful underwriting. If you're buying a second home you'll use personally and rent occasionally, the income is secondary to whether the property is right for you.
Inventory in Watauga, Avery, and Ashe Counties
This spring is the most interesting inventory picture I've seen in a few years.
Watauga County
Inventory has loosened from 2021–2022 lows, but quality properties — long-range views, good STR potential, move-in condition — still move fast. Multiple offers still happening in the $400K–$700K range. Oddly located properties are finally sitting longer.
Avery County
The ski corridor has seen softening at the upper end. Significant price run-ups in ski-adjacent properties from 2020–2022 have given back some gains. For buyers, this is a favorable window — strong STR fundamentals at better prices.
Ashe County
Still the relative value play. Land and rural acreage remains significantly more affordable than comparable Watauga acreage, without the same investor saturation. Strong emerging STR market as travelers look beyond the usual towns.
What Sellers Are Doing
One thing I'm seeing more of in 2026: sellers who bought in 2020–2021 are testing the market. Some have unrealistic expectations based on peak comps — those properties are sitting. But motivated sellers are pricing to reality, and there are legitimate deals to be found. Price reductions are happening, which didn't happen much in 2021–2022. That's a signal worth paying attention to.
The Long View
I've been watching this market for four decades. The NC High Country has consistently proven resilient over the long term. There are structural reasons: extremely limited developable land, year-round demand from multiple tourism drivers, proximity to major Southeast metros (Charlotte is 2 hours, Atlanta is 3), and a lifestyle appeal that doesn't go away when headlines get scary.
The people who came to me in 2008 or 2012 asking "is it a good time to buy?" and bought anyway — they're sitting on significant equity today. The people who kept waiting are still waiting.
My Honest Answer
If you've been considering a mountain property and you find the right one — right location, right condition, right price relative to today's comps — 2026 is a reasonable time to buy. You're not buying at the peak, you have more selection than two years ago, and the long-term fundamentals remain intact.
If you're speculating on price appreciation alone, waiting for rates to drop, or stretching into something that only pencils at optimistic assumptions — pump the brakes.
Andrew Plyler, REALTOR®
Broker · Blue Ridge Realty & Investments · Boone, NC
Born & raised in Boone · App State alum · 40+ years High Country expertise