November is here: cooler evenings, oyster roast season, and the Holiday Festival of Lights opens on James Island Nov 13. On the market side, October brought a welcome change: homes sold faster than a year ago in five of the seven areas I track. Below you'll find the numbers for your part of town, what's opening and closing nearby, and a dozen things to do this month.
The market, neighborhood by neighborhood
- Areas where homes sold faster than last October
- 5 of 7
- Average time to sell on James Island, the quickest of the seven
- 28 days
- Mount Pleasant median, its lowest since April
- $852K
Every area is under four months of inventory, and five of the seven have less supply than a year ago. After a slow September, homes sold faster in October in most of town. Summerville and North Charleston are the exceptions.
| Area | Median sold | vs. last year | Homes sold | Active listings | Avg. days on market | Months of inventory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Island | $694,500 | +0.4% | 68 | 207 | 54 | 3.1 |
| James Island | $732,500 | +5.4% | 48 | 164 | 28 | 3.0 |
| West Ashley inside I-526 | $550,000 | +5.8% | 39 | 131 | 32 | 3.3 |
| West Ashley outside I-526 | $470,000 | +2.2% | 63 | 219 | 33 | 3.1 |
| Mount Pleasant | $852,500 | -10.5% | 124 | 446 | 43 | 2.7 |
| Summerville | $395,000 | 0.0% | 315 | 1,450 | 53 | 3.2 |
| North Charleston | $348,000 | +12.3% | 77 | 419 | 44 | 3.9 |
October 2026, residential. "vs. last year" compares to October 2025. Months of inventory = active listings divided by average monthly sales (Flexmls). Late-month closings are still posting to the MLS, so October sale counts, especially Summerville, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant, may rise a bit. Median prices swing month to month in smaller areas, so read them with the trend.
Numbers as of the send date. Late closings and different area boundaries can make these differ slightly from the live market report.
Johns Island
More homes sold: 68 closings, up from 59 last October, while listings are down 10% to 207. That trimmed supply to 3.1 months from 3.7 a year ago. The median, $694,500, is right where it was last October.
James Island
Homes sold in about 28 days on average, down from 45 in September and 36 last October. Listings are down 15% from a year ago, to 164. With 48 sales, the jump in the median to $732,500 is more noise than trend.
West Ashley
Homes sold faster on both sides of I-526: about 32 days inside and 33 outside, versus 48 and 58 last October. There's more to choose from, too: listings are up 9% inside and 11% outside from a year ago. Medians ($550,000 inside, $470,000 outside) are a little below their July-September average.
Mount Pleasant
The median slipped to $852,500, about 7% below its July-September average and the lowest since April. It's one month, so watch the trend. Supply is still the tightest of these seven areas at 2.7 months, and homes sold in about 43 days versus 51 a year ago.
Summerville
A flat month, and that's fine: the median is $395,000, exactly where it was last October, and sellers got 99.0% of list price, still the highest of these seven areas. Homes took about 53 days to sell, 9 days longer than a year ago.
North Charleston
The median has held between about $340,000 and $350,000 since June, so the +12.3% versus last year mostly reflects a soft October 2025. Homes took about 44 days to sell, 9 days longer than a year ago, and at 3.9 months North Charleston still has the most supply of the seven.
What it means for you
If you own: prices are steady in most of town and well-priced homes are selling faster than a year ago, so pricing it right on day one still matters most.
If you're buying: there are more homes for sale in West Ashley than a year ago, and homes are taking longer in Summerville and North Charleston, so there's room to negotiate there, especially on homes that have been listed a while.
What's new around town
Johns Island
- New: The new roundabout at Main, River and Chisolm roads opened Oct 19, part of the county's Highway 17/Main Road improvement project. More
- In the works: The former DiMare tomato packing facility off Main Road is becoming a 16-acre commercial park; the first tenants are moving in, with full build-out expected by 2028. More
- Saying goodbye: The Heyday, the all-day cafe and bar at 605 Kindred Ct in Hayes Park, closed after Oct 25. More
James Island
- New: Caviar & Bananas opened its third location Oct 22 at 1739 Maybank Hwy, in the former Maple Street Biscuit Co. space in James Island Shopping Center. More
- New: Char House Social, a Texas-style steakhouse from the owners of The Harlow, holds its grand opening Fri, Nov 6 at 4 p.m. at 1234 Camp Rd. More
West Ashley
- New: Angel Biscuit Co. (breakfast and daytime) and Emily (burgers and pizza at night) are now open at 835 Savannah Hwy in Avondale, the former Ruby Sunshine space. More
- In the works: Deanna's Wine Bar, with charcuterie from Bert's Pig Shop, is converting the former 7-Eleven at 521 Wappoo Rd and expects to open by year-end. More
- In the works: New retail is planned around West Ashley Circle and Bees Ferry Rd, including Aldi, Dutch Bros, Panda Express and Chipotle at The Wedge. More
Mount Pleasant
- In the works: Town Council approved a $28.5M settlement on Oct 13 to buy 129 acres of the Republic Tract on Highway 41 for a future public park; closing is expected around April. More
- In the works: Neighborhood Dining Group, the team behind Husk, will run a new restaurant opening in 2027 at 1434 Ira Rd, just north of Highway 17 and the I-526 overpass. More
- In the works: Town Council finalized a two-year pause on new data center applications while zoning rules are reviewed. More
Summerville
- New: Penn Station Sandwiches opened its first Lowcountry shop Oct 29 at 460 Old Trolley Rd in the Summerville Stop shopping center. More
- New: FU-O BBQ, a Japanese-style restaurant where you grill at your table, soft-opened in mid-October in Nexton. More
- In the works: Dorchester County is weighing a five-lane widening of Miles Jamison Rd between Old Trolley and Ladson roads, with a shared-use path; it is funded only through design so far. More
North Charleston
- New: Chuy's Tex-Mex is set to open Nov 18 at 7811 Rivers Ave, the former Bahama Breeze near Northwoods Mall. More
- New: Men's Wearhouse opened a second, larger store at Northwoods Mall on Oct 12. More
- New: The rebuilt Chick-fil-A on Rivers Ave reopened Oct 15 with a new play area, a mobile-order drive-thru lane and more parking. More
Things to do in November
- Harvest Festival (Johns Island) Sat, Nov 7, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bluegrass, hayrides, pumpkin decorating, kids' crafts and a crafter market at Johns Island County Park. $10 ages 13 and up; 12 and under free. Details
- Airing of the Quilts (West Ashley) Sat, Nov 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Handmade quilts on display in the Cathedral Glade at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, with live quilting demos. Included with garden admission. Details
- Summerville Sweet Tea Half Marathon, 10K & 5K (Summerville) Sat, Nov 7, morning The town's annual race starts downtown near Town Hall; the 5K is the shortest distance. Details
- Tribute to Veterans (North Charleston) Wed, Nov 11, 10 a.m. to noon The city's 24th annual Veterans Day ceremony at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center; every veteran attending gets a commemorative coin. Free; RSVP by Nov 6. Details
- Festival of Lights Fun Run & Walk (James Island) Wed-Thu, Nov 11-12, 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. A 2-mile run/walk through the lights before opening night at James Island County Park, then stay and enjoy the displays. $38 per vehicle. Details
- Holiday Festival of Lights (James Island) Nightly from Fri, Nov 13 through Dec 31, 5:30 to 10 p.m. The 37th year: more than 750 displays along a 3-mile drive at James Island County Park, plus a train, carousel and marshmallow roasting. $15-$30 per car in advance, depending on the night. Details
- Colonial Trades and Harvest Day (West Ashley) Sat, Nov 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Costumed interpreters, colonial games and black-powder demonstrations at Charles Towne Landing. Details
- Old Village Harbor 5K (Mount Pleasant) Sat, Nov 14, 8:30 a.m. A town-run race through the Old Village starting at Alhambra Hall, with music and raffle prizes after. Dogs and strollers welcome. Details
- Family Archery (Johns Island) Sat, Nov 21, 1 to 2:30 p.m. A family lesson on the range at Johns Island County Park, ages 8 and up, equipment provided. $20, registration required. Details
- Lights Up Tree Lighting (Mount Pleasant) Sat, Nov 21, 6 to 8 p.m. A 44-foot tree lit at 7:30 p.m. with a laser show, Santa, live music and food trucks at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. Details
- Merry Makers Market (Mount Pleasant) Sun, Nov 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A new holiday market of local farmers, makers, bakers and food trucks at Park West Recreation Complex. Details
- Holiday Sip & Shop (West Ashley) Sun, Nov 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tax-free holiday shopping with seasonal sips and bites at the shop at Drayton Hall. Free; preregister. Details
This month's list, kept current: things to do around Charleston.
Public meetings: James Island Planning Commission meets Thu, Nov 12 at 5 p.m. and Town Council Thu, Nov 19 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1122 Dills Bluff Rd. In Summerville, Town Council is reviewing proposed changes to short-term rental rules; no hearing date is set yet. Planning Commission · Town Council · Summerville rental rules
What is your home worth right now?
Online estimates miss the things that actually move price in Charleston: flood zone, lot, updates, what sold on your street last month. Tell me your address and I'll send you a real number from the MLS. No pressure, no obligation.
Market data: CHS Regional MLS via Flexmls, residential, October 2026. Johns Island, James Island and West Ashley use MLS areas 23, 21, 11 and 12; Mount Pleasant, Summerville and North Charleston use the MLS city field. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Around-town items link to their original reporting.