Is 2026 a good year to sell a house in Lexington, SC?

July 2026 CMLS Area 11 data says well-priced homes are still selling: 184 closings, median $331,060 (up 6.5%), 30 days on market, and 98.7% of list price. Higher inventory (491 homes, up 21.2%) means you cannot list at a 2022 peak number and wait.

What was the median home price in Lexington Area 11 in July 2026?

The July 2026 CMLS Area 11 median closed price was $331,060, up 6.5%. Year-to-date through July, the median was $312,500 across 1,250 closings.

How long does it take to sell a home in Lexington, SC right now?

July 2026 CMLS Area 11 median days on market was 30. Homes priced to current comps in the first week still move. Homes priced to last year's hopes sit.

Should I wait for more inventory to come down before I sell?

Inventory in Area 11 was 491 homes in July 2026, up 21.2%. That gives buyers more choices, but it has not collapsed sale prices — the median is still up 6.5%. Waiting for “less competition” is a bet against a market that is already functioning. Price correctly and launch with a real marketing plan instead.

October 22, 2026 · Joseph Michel

How Did a Lake Murray Home in Leesville Sell in a Slow 2026 Market?

In Leesville's 29070 ZIP code, the median home took 70 days to sell over the three months ending September 2026, according to Redfin, and 44.8% of sellers had to cut their price. On the Lexington side of Lake Murray, Consolidated MLS (CMLS) data published by Hubrec shows the…

In Leesville's 29070 ZIP code, the median home took 70 days to sell over the three months ending September 2026, according to Redfin, and 44.8% of sellers had to cut their price. On the Lexington side of Lake Murray, Consolidated MLS (CMLS) data published by Hubrec shows the number of lake homes for sale jumped 56.5% to 36 in September, and sellers got just 91.9% of their list price that month.

That's the market our team took 146 Metts Drive into. It went on the market July 17 at $1,275,000, and today it's on the Patrick O'Connor Team's sold page.

I'm Joe Michel, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty on the Patrick O'Connor Team, the #1 Coldwell Banker team in South Carolina. This one wasn't a one-week bidding war. It was a patient, well-run sale in a tough stretch, and that's exactly why it's worth walking through.

What kind of home is 146 Metts Drive?

It's a custom, all-brick, single-level home in Leesville with three bedrooms, three full baths and a flex room the sellers set up as a game room with a bar and pool table. It sits on 1.35 acres on a point lot with about 222 feet of Lake Murray shoreline.

The outside is where it really separates from the pack. There's a private dock set off to one side so it doesn't block the view, an in-ground pool with a big deck, a covered outdoor living area split into lounging and grilling spaces, and a gently sloping shoreline you can wade into or launch a kayak from. The land across the water is Dominion-owned, so there isn't a house in sight. There's also a detached workshop with covered storage for a boat, RV or equipment, and no HOA.

Why were the sellers moving?

After roughly 20 years in the home, they were ready to retire and move to the beach. Over those years they'd put real money into the property, including the pool and the workshop.

Their goal was simple: protect the value they had built and get the strongest result they could, even though the market was getting harder by the month.

Why is the Leesville and Lake Murray market slower right now?

There are more homes to pick from, and buyers at this price point are taking their time. Here are the numbers.

Redfin, ZIP 29070, three months ending September 2026:

Median sale price: $528,345, up 19.4%
Homes sold: 31, down 15%
Median days on market: 70, up 42 days from a year ago
Sale-to-list ratio: 96.6%
Homes with a price drop: 44.8%

CMLS via Hubrec, Lake Murray (Lexington side), September 2026:

3 sales, down 57.1%, at a $900,000 median
36 homes for sale, up 56.5% from 23
List price received: 91.9% in September and 94.2% year to date
Year to date: 58 sales, up 16%, at a $932,500 median, up 9.4%

So lake values are holding up and the year has been busy overall, but buyers have more options and they're negotiating. A waterfront listing that just sits there can drift for months.

What did our team do to get it sold?

We didn't list it and hope. The team built a marketing plan meant to put the home in front of buyers over and over, from several directions.

We showed the lifestyle first. Professional photography and video led with the point lot, the water views, the pool and the workshop. Plenty of homes have three bedrooms. Very few have 222 feet of shoreline with a pool, a dock, a workshop and no HOA on one property.

We used YouTube, not just the listing sites. The team made video content around the home and put it in front of its established YouTube audience. Together with social media, the team's database and targeted online ads, the listing drew tens of thousands of views and reached well past the local market. For a lake home, where many buyers are relocating from out of state, that reach matters.

We kept working it after launch. Behind the scenes, the team answered inquiries fast, managed showings and feedback, and kept checking how the home was positioned against the competition.

Did the price change before it sold?

Yes, once and modestly. After 41 days, the price came down about 2%, from $1,275,000 to $1,250,000. Thirty-five days after that, on October 1, the home went under contract, about 76 days after it first hit the market.

That's close to the 70-day median for the ZIP code, in a market where nearly half of sellers cut their price. A small adjustment backed by steady marketing worked better than a big cut out of frustration. The final sale price hasn't been published, so I won't guess at it here.

How did the team protect the sellers in the negotiation?

Getting a contract is only half the job. The team negotiated favorable terms and conditions for the sellers and protected their interests all the way through the transaction.

The team also negotiated a separate bill of sale for personal property that stayed with the home. That created extra value for the sellers outside the real estate contract itself. On a lake home, things like furniture, outdoor equipment or water toys often matter to a buyer, and handling them separately keeps the home's price clean for the appraisal.

What does a $1.25 million lake home cost per month?

At Freddie Mac's average 30-year rate of 7.32% (October 22, 2026), a buyer putting 20% down on $1,250,000 would pay about $6,869 a month in principal and interest. With 10% down, it's about $7,728. Taxes and insurance come on top of that.

A loan this size is a jumbo loan, and jumbo rates can run higher or lower than the conforming average. Either way, at this price buyers weigh the monthly cost against the lifestyle, and the marketing has to make that case.

What can Lake Murray sellers learn from 146 Metts Drive?

Sell what's rare. Point lot, shoreline, pool, workshop, no HOA. Lead with the things buyers can't find on the next street.
Plan for a longer runway. With a 70-day median in 29070, set your expectations and your moving timeline around that, not around last spring.
Make one smart adjustment, not five. A 2% move at the right time kept this home fresh without signaling panic.
Use video to reach buyers who aren't here yet. Relocating buyers tour on YouTube before they ever book a flight.
Negotiate beyond the price. Terms, conditions and a separate bill of sale for personal property can put real money back in your pocket.

Frequently asked questions about selling on Lake Murray in Leesville

How long does it take to sell a home in Leesville, SC in 2026? Redfin shows a median of 70 days on market in ZIP 29070 over the three months ending September 2026, up 42 days from a year earlier. 146 Metts Drive went under contract about 76 days after listing.

Are Lake Murray home prices still going up? On the Lexington side of the lake, CMLS data via Hubrec shows a year-to-date median of $932,500 through September 2026, up 9.4%. In 29070, Redfin's three-month median sale price was $528,345, up 19.4%.

Do Lake Murray sellers have to drop their price in 2026? Not always, but many do. Redfin shows 44.8% of 29070 homes had a price drop over the last three months. 146 Metts Drive made one reduction of about 2%.

What sold price did 146 Metts Drive get? It was listed at $1,275,000, reduced to $1,250,000 on August 27, and went under contract October 1, 2026. The final sale price hasn't been published.

What is a bill of sale for personal property? It's a separate agreement for items that aren't part of the real estate, like furniture or equipment that stays with the home. It keeps those items out of the home's contract price.

Does it matter that a Lake Murray home has no HOA? For many buyers, yes. No HOA means no monthly dues and more freedom to park a boat or RV and use a workshop, which is a selling point worth putting up front.

Thinking about selling on Lake Murray?

If you own a lake home in Leesville, Chapin or anywhere around Lake Murray, call or text me at 803-553-6438. You can read the full 146 Metts Drive sold story and see more results on the Patrick O'Connor Team recently sold page. For a look at the area, read Is Leesville, SC a Good Place to Buy a Home in 2026?, and for a faster lake sale, see How Did a Lake Murray Waterfront Home in Chapin Go Under Contract in 13 Days in 2026?.

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