The Winston-Salem market right now
Sales figures: Redfin Data Center, market tracker (Redfin, a national real estate brokerage), Winston-Salem, NC metro area, May 2026, all residential property types. Typical value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026, mid-tier homes, seasonally adjusted. These are area-wide figures, not a value for any one home.
With about 3.0 months of supply, this is a fairly balanced market by the usual rule of thumb, and homes sold for about 1.4% below their list price on average.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | $320,000 |
| Apr 2026 | $315,000 |
| Mar 2026 | $315,000 |
| Feb 2026 | $311,500 |
| Jan 2026 | $310,000 |
| Dec 2025 | $312,000 |
| Nov 2025 | $309,900 |
| Oct 2025 | $310,000 |
| Sep 2025 | $315,000 |
| Aug 2025 | $309,000 |
| Jul 2025 | $318,000 |
| Jun 2025 | $318,140 |
| May 2025 | $309,000 |
| Apr 2025 | $310,000 |
| Mar 2025 | $300,000 |
| Feb 2025 | $300,000 |
| Jan 2025 | $287,750 |
| Dec 2024 | $301,250 |
| Nov 2024 | $300,000 |
| Oct 2024 | $302,490 |
| Sep 2024 | $295,500 |
| Aug 2024 | $307,000 |
| Jul 2024 | $300,000 |
| Jun 2024 | $297,210 |
| May 2024 | $295,000 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Winston-Salem, NC metro area. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
What the metro area covers
The Census Bureau counts about 705,187 people in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area, across 5 counties. Property taxes, recording fees and some transfer taxes are set county by county, so check the county your home is in.
| County | Population (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Forsyth County, NC | 398,143 |
| Davidson County, NC | 177,809 |
| Stokes County, NC | 45,857 |
| Davie County, NC | 45,383 |
| Yadkin County, NC | 37,995 |
Towns with the most ZIP codes in the area: Winston-Salem, Lexington, Rural Hall, Thomasville, Kernersville, Denton, Linwood, Southmont, Wallburg, Welcome, Advance, Cooleemee.
Population and counties: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2023 metro delineations.
North Carolina rules that affect sellers
Transfer tax
North Carolina charges an excise tax on deeds of $1 per $500 of the sale price (often called deed or revenue stamps), paid to the county register of deeds before the deed is recorded. By custom the seller pays it. Seven counties add a local land transfer tax of 1%.
Local add-ons: Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Washington counties levy a 1% land transfer tax.
Source: Brunswick County Register of Deeds, Real Estate Records (excise tax rate)
Seller disclosure
Yes. The Residential Property Disclosure Act (G.S. Chapter 47E) requires sellers of one to four unit homes to give buyers two forms before an offer is made: the Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure Statement and the Mineral and Oil and Gas Rights Mandatory Disclosure Statement. On the first form the seller may answer many questions with No Representation, and some transfers, such as foreclosures and transfers between family members, are exempt.
Who handles the closing
North Carolina closings are customarily conducted by attorneys. Legal tasks such as the title opinion, drafting documents and advising the parties are the practice of law and cannot be done by non-lawyers, although supervised staff may handle parts of the signing and disbursement.
Source: NC Real Estate Commission Bulletin, Beware Lawyerless Closings
Also worth knowing
If the disclosure statements are not delivered before the buyer makes an offer, the buyer may cancel the contract within three days of the contract being made or three days of receiving the statement, whichever comes first.
Also worth knowing
The Mineral and Oil and Gas Rights disclosure has no exemption for new construction or for sales where the parties agreed to skip the main disclosure form. Sellers must answer yes or no about whether they themselves have severed or intend to sever these rights.
Source: NC Real Estate Commission Bulletin, New Oil and Gas Disclosure Statement
Also worth knowing
In Perquimans County and six other northeastern counties, a 1% local land transfer tax applies on top of the state excise tax, and it is typically paid by the seller when the deed is recorded.
Checking an agent's license
Real estate agents in North Carolina are licensed by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. You can look up any agent before you work with them.
Rules checked 2026-09-30. They change, and local practice varies: confirm with your title company, closing attorney or agent before relying on them. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.