What more or fewer homes for sale means for you
When more homes are for sale, buyers usually have more choice and sellers face more competition. When fewer homes are for sale, the opposite tends to hold. Inventory is one of the clearest signals in a market, and it is easy to misread when you look at it too broadly.
Tell me what you are looking for, or ask for a home value, and I will help you narrow it down. Use the buyer consultation form or the home value request.
What inventory is
Inventory is the number of homes actively for sale at a point in time. It is a snapshot, so it changes with new listings coming on and with homes going under contract. I compare it with the same month last year because the calendar affects how many homes list.
What the latest numbers show
In my September 2026 update, active listings in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties were 4,890, compared with 4,804 a year earlier, up 1.8%. New listings were 1,789, down 1.7%. Pending sales were 1,182, up 4.3%. Put together: roughly the same number of homes for sale, a few more contracts. Counts by county were 2,229 active listings in Charleston County, 1,611 in Berkeley County and 1,050 in Dorchester County.
What it can mean for buyers
More homes can mean more time to compare and more room to negotiate on a home that has sat.
Fewer homes can mean faster decisions, and you may need to be ready with a pre-approval.
A broad number hides your price range. A county might look well supplied while homes in your range are scarce.
No seller must accept a lower offer, and I cannot promise any result. I can show you what is happening in your range.
What it can mean for sellers
More competing homes can mean buyers compare more closely, so price and preparation matter more.
Fewer competing homes can help a well-priced home get attention, but overpricing still costs you time.
Look at homes like yours, not the total. Ask me for a home value and I will show you the nearby homes that compete with yours.
Related numbers to read with it
Inventory means more when you read it with absorption or months of supply, pending sales and days on market. My posts on months of supply and days on market explain how.
How to use this when you shop
Ask for a count of homes in your price range, in your areas, within the features you care about. Watch it for a few weeks. If new listings in your range are slow, plan to move fast on a good one. If they are plentiful, you can take more time. I send my buyers alerts for their specific criteria so they see new homes quickly.
A worked example with invented numbers
These numbers are made up to show the logic. Suppose a price range has 200 homes for sale and 50 sales a month. That is 4 months of supply. A year later it has 200 homes for sale and 80 sales a month, which is 2.5 months. The number of homes for sale did not change, and the market is moving faster. The reverse can happen too, where more homes appear and sales stay flat. That is why I read inventory beside sales and days on market, not alone.
A checklist when inventory changes
Check whether the change is in your price range or across the whole area.
Check the sales pace for the same period.
Look at new listings, not only active ones.
Ask whether new construction is adding to the count.
Ask me how similar homes have been selling lately.
Common mistakes
Assuming more homes always means lower prices.
Assuming fewer homes always means you cannot negotiate.
Watching only one month.
Ignoring the difference between price ranges.
How I use inventory when I help you shop
I start with your price range and the areas you like, then look at what has come on the market recently and what has gone under contract. I note how long similar homes sat and whether prices changed. That gives us a sense of how much time we have to decide. When there are many choices, we can be patient. When there are few, we prepare in advance so you can move quickly on the right home without stretching past your budget.
My take: [ROB INPUT: add one or two sentences of your own view before this is published.]
Frequently asked questions
Is low inventory always bad for buyers?
It makes competition tougher, but a prepared buyer can still succeed. A pre-approval and clear priorities help.
Does high inventory mean prices will fall?
Not necessarily. Prices depend on many factors, and I do not forecast them.
Where do you get the counts?
From the monthly market report for the tri-county area, which I link in each update.
Sources, checked October 21, 2026
Where to go next
Keep reading: months of supply explained, days on market explained, what the market is doing right now. Browse all posts in Market and rates.
Tell me what you are looking for, or ask for a home value, and I will help you narrow it down. Use the buyer consultation form or the home value request.
This is general information, not lending, tax or legal advice. Talk to your lender, your CPA and your South Carolina closing attorney about your own situation. Rob "Red" Redziniak, Keller Williams Greater Charleston, Dave Friedman Team.
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