Melissa Plemmons of eXp Realty reports a refreshed Marion ranch went under contract in nine days and closed at its full $349,000 list price as inventory stays high.
-- While homes across the country are taking longer to sell and price cuts are rising, a refreshed ranch home at 163 Meadowbrook Lane in Marion, North Carolina, went under contract nine days after it was listed. The home, about 36 miles east of Asheville on Interstate 40, closed on October 7, 2026, at its full $349,000 list price. Listing agent Melissa Plemmons of eXp Realty and the Blue Ridge Living Realty team says the sale shows how preparation, pricing, and marketing can affect results in a slower market.
“In a buyer’s market, the homes that sell fast are the ones that are prepared, priced right and marketed with intention from day one,” said Plemmons. “Sellers still have real options. They just need a plan before the sign goes in the yard.”
The Sale at 163 Meadowbrook Lane
The property is a 1970 ranch with three bedrooms, three full baths, and a finished daylight basement. It has 2,681 square feet on 0.51 acres. It was listed on August 28, 2026, at $349,000, went under contract on September 6, 2026, and closed on October 7, 2026, at 100 percent of list price. The buyer used FHA financing. The sellers were returning clients of Plemmons, and they prepared the home before listing it instead of waiting for buyer feedback. Plemmons credited Jannell Peterson of J. Peterson Realty & Associate, who represented the buyers, for a smooth transaction from contract to closing.
According to Plemmons, four decisions shaped the result. The first was targeted updates, not a full remodel, including new kitchen countertops, an oversized island, a new stove and dishwasher, and fresh paint. The second was marketing the whole property, including a finished basement with two bonus rooms and a recreation room, a separate workshop with electricity, a four-car carport, and no homeowners association. The third was pricing the home to compete with current sales and not last year’s peak. The fourth was welcoming cash, conventional, FHA, USDA, and VA financing to widen the pool of qualified buyers.
A Market That Favors Buyers
Recent data points to a market with more choices for buyers. RISMedia, citing Realtor.com and Redfin data, reported that 20.8 percent of U.S. listings had a price cut in September, a September record, and that the median time on market was 61 days. It also reported that homes under contract were down 4.1 percent from a year earlier, and that 44.7 percent of sales in August included seller concessions, the highest August share since 2020.
Local data shows a similar pattern. Homes by Marco reported on October 9, 2026, that McDowell County houses had 8.6 months of inventory, and that a market above six months is generally considered a buyer’s market. In the $325,000 to $350,000 range, where this home was priced, there were about nine months of inventory, with 12 active listings and eight sales in six months. The home went under contract in about one-seventh of the national median time on market.
“Buyers today are cautious, and they have choices,” said Plemmons. “They’re comparing every listing side by side. The home that looks best, shows best and is priced right for today is the one that gets the offer.”
Why Asheville-Area Buyers Are Looking East
Plemmons says some buyers relocating to the Asheville area are widening their search east along Interstate 40 toward Marion and Lake James. Redfin reported a median sale price of $486,074 in Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, in July 2026. Homes there took a median of 74 days to sell and closed at 96.8 percent of list price. In McDowell County, the median sale price was $358,749 in August 2026, with a median of 71 days on market and homes closing at 97.3 percent of list price. That is about $127,000, or roughly 26 percent, less.
“A lot of my buyers start out looking in Asheville and then run the numbers,” said Plemmons. “Thirty-six miles east, the same money buys a bigger house, a real workshop and land, and you are still close enough for a day in town. That is why Asheville-area sellers should not assume their only competition is down the street.”
Seven Tips for Selling in a Buyer’s Market
Plemmons offers the following advice to homeowners in Western North Carolina who are considering selling this fall or winter. She recommends pricing for today’s buyer, since the first two weeks bring a listing the most attention, and starting with a home valuation. She says focused updates to kitchens, paint, and flooring often return more than a full renovation. She advises addressing unknowns such as the well, septic system, roof, and drainage before buyers find them, and notes that a pre-listing inspection, which is an inspection ordered by the seller before listing, lets sellers fix or disclose issues on their own terms.
She also recommends marketing the lifestyle features of a property, such as workshops, extra parking, bonus rooms, acreage, and the absence of an HOA. She suggests professional photos and video, with drone footage for homes with a mountain view or lake frontage. She advises accepting FHA, VA, and USDA buyers along with conventional and cash buyers. Finally, she says sellers can use concessions strategically, such as a credit toward a buyer’s closing costs or interest rate, to solve a buyer’s real problem while protecting the sale price.
What Sellers Can Expect From a Listing Agent
Plemmons says a well-run listing includes a pricing plan based on local data, a prep plan that separates worthwhile updates from ones to skip, and professional marketing from the first day. She also lists regular market feedback with a clear plan if the response calls for a change, skilled negotiation on offers and inspection requests, and coordination with the buyer’s agent, lender, attorney, and inspectors through closing.
“A good agent’s job isn’t just to list the home. It’s to give sellers a plan that works in the market we have right now,” said Plemmons. “These sellers trusted me again, and that trust is what I value most.”
About Melissa Plemmons
Melissa Plemmons is an Asheville, North Carolina Realtor with eXp Realty, part of the Blue Ridge Living Realty team, serving Asheville and the surrounding Western North Carolina mountains. According to Plemmons, she has sold more than $70 million in real estate and has served more than 2,000 clients across the region, including Asheville, Marion, McDowell County, Lake James, and Nebo. She reports that she is a 3X ICON Agent, ranks in the top 0.5 percent of eXp Realty agents nationwide, is a Top 10 eXp Realty agent in North Carolina, and is a certified eXp Luxury Agent. More information is available at movetolakejamesnc.com. Follow Plemmons on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google Business Profile. Inquiries may be sent to [email protected] or by calling (828) 337-2200. All commissions are negotiable and set by agreement between the client and the brokerage.
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Name: Melissa Plemmons
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Organization: eXp Realty, Blue Ridge Living Realty
Website: https://movetolakejamesnc.com
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