Charlotte Drops in Ranking of Top Housing Markets

Looks like the real estate life in Charlotte has taken just a bit of a dip. In a recent report, the Charlotte housing market dropped in the rankings for top housing markets for 2026. But, don't worry too much, economists say!

Realtor.com released its top markets for 2026, and Charlotte found itself falling to No. 70. Last year, Charlotte ranked in the top 20 at No. 14. But what could have caused such a dramatic fall?

The housing markets are based on expected sales, price gains, and steady supply and demand in each market. Taking these factors, they were able to gather the top 100 largest metros. The top 5 housing markets for 2026 include:

Now, why did Charlotte go from the top 20 one year to the bottom half the next? Research shows that in Charlotte, existing home sales are projected to fall 2.4% year over year in 2026, according to Biz Journals.

Right now, the focus for Charlotte is the possibility of mortgage rates going down and affordability slightly improving in 2026. Although it's led to a slight fall in ranking, it may be better for consumers in the long run.

Check out the full report here to learn more about what is expected to come to Charlotte's housing market.