If you want a clean close, you need to know what sellers are accepting.
If you're trying to decide how hard to push on price versus how clean to keep your terms, start with one rule in Wrightsville Beach, NC, the numbers say price discipline matters, but certainty still wins deals. In January 2026, offers landed about 95.2% of asking, so I plan negotiations around value gaps and risk, not ego.
Here is the constraint I plan around in January 2026 supply was 6.39 months in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and offers landed about 95.2% of asking. That same month, a typical sale took 142 days, and a typical sold price was $2,150,000. That matters because these numbers describe the leverage line buyers can use without guessing when supply is 6.39 months in January 2026 and the typical deal closes at 95.2% of asking, price cuts are not automatic, but they are normal. Some details that would sharpen this further, like concessions or inspection outcomes, were not reported for this period. Keep your first offer grounded in a clear value rationale tied to asking price, because January 2026 outcomes show sellers did not consistently get full ask in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Use terms to control risk set a tight due diligence timeline and clean financing or proof-of-funds language so the seller sees certainty, not drama. If the gap is still wide, I would move your leverage from price to terms or the other way around based on the specific home's condition and the timeline you can tolerate.
