ROI Realty Partners- Market Watch: Cabarrus County

[Kasey Hardt]

A common question I have been receiving, especially from out of state clients, is regarding areas outside of Charlotte to watch. In an effort to provide useful, helpful information, I pulled MLS data for one of the faster growing counties: Cabarrus County. I also included links to area highlights :)

  Key cities to watch: Concord and Kannapolis.

Cabarrus County Market Overview​

• Inventory: Inventory jumped 42.3% (619 homes vs. 435 last year), and months of supply rose from 1.8 to 2.6 months (+44.4%), signaling more options for buyers/investors.
• Price Trends: Median sales price rose slightly in April to $390,000 (+0.9% YoY), though year-to-date it's actually down 3.8% to $375,000.
  • Average sales price held steady at $427,487, indicating market stabilization.
• Demand Shifts: Closed sales are down 4.2% year-to-date, but pending sales ticked up 1.8%, suggesting a potential rebound.
• DOM (Days on Market):  Jumped 36% year-to-date (from 39 to 53 days), which can offer negotiating room for investors.

Concord Market Summary

• Listings & Sales: New listings are up 7.5%, and pending sales rose 12.3% YoY.
  • Closed sales were almost flat (+1.6% YTD).
• Price Softening: Median price dropped to $370,000 (-3.9% YTD).
  • Average price is flat at $430,777, with buyers getting about 95.4% of the original list price.
• Investor Note: DOM rose nearly 49%, now averaging 52 days

Kannapolis Market Summary​

• Investor Goldmine: Median price soared to $318,000 (+15.6% April YoY), and up 10.7% YTD — strong appreciation.
  • Average price is also up 8.4% YTD, reaching $328,720.
• Increased Supply: Inventory surged 58%, and months of supply jumped from 1.7 to 2.7 — giving buyers more leverage.
• Strong Buyer Demand: Pending sales up 11.7%, and new listings increased 7.4%, though closed sales dipped slightly (+6.6% YTD).

Growth Trends & Developments

Concord, NC

• Economic Anchors: Home to Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills (the largest outlet mall in NC).  As well as The Depot , developing District Exchange, and Downtown Concord
• Job Growth: Strong employment drivers in healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. Eli Lilly recently relocating to the area
• Development Hotspot: New residential and mixed-use developments continue to emerge near downtown and the George Liles Parkway corridor.
• Infrastructure: Ongoing road expansions and improved transit access to Charlotte increase long-term investment appeal.

Kannapolis, NC

• Revitalized Downtown: Anchored by the $100M+ investment in the North Carolina Research Campus, a biotech research hub.
• Stadium & Entertainment: Atrium Health Ballpark brings foot traffic and drives short-term rental appeal.
• Attraction Growth: Proximity to breweries, trails, and new retail makes it increasingly desirable for both renters and buyers.
• Price Momentum: Rapid appreciation signals early gentrification and potential equity growth for investors.

Investor Takeaways

• -Concord offers more stabilized pricing and growing inventory — a good opportunity to buy in a major employment center.
• -Kannapolis is showing explosive appreciation, especially attractive for value-add or rental investors targeting rapid equity gains.
• -County-wide, rising inventory and longer days on market give negotiating leverage, even as select submarkets (like Kannapolis) heat up.