SUMMERVILLE-More homes changed hands in Chattooga County during August than one year earlier, but several measures show buyers are encountering lower sale prices, increased inventory, and a slower-moving market.

The combination suggests that activity is improving while buyers retain more time and leverage than they had during the unusually competitive housing market of recent years.

WZQZ News initially reported that 13 homes sold in Chattooga County during August. That would represent a 62.5% increase from the eight sales recorded in August 2025.

However, the live Georgia Multiple Listing Service county report, reviewed Monday, lists 12 single-family sales for August 2026. Even under that revised count, sales increased 50% from the same month last year.

Neither source explains the one-sale difference. Listing-service records can change when a closing is added, corrected, reclassified, or removed. Therefore, the newest monthly figures should be viewed as subject to revision.

Georgia MLS also cautions that its county report includes only information maintained by that listing service and may not capture every real estate transaction in the market.

Average Prices Fall Sharply, but a Small Sample Requires Caution

The latest Georgia MLS table places the average sale price for the county’s 12 August closings at $299,167. That is approximately 27.6% below the $413,250 average recorded across eight sales in August 2025.

The homes that sold this August carried an average listing price of $317,942. On average, they closed for $18,775 less than their listed prices, a difference of approximately 5.9%.

By comparison, the homes sold in August 2025 had an average listing price of $486,088. They closed at an average of $413,250.

The initial 13-sale report produced similar results. That snapshot showed an average listing price of $315,015 and an average sale price of $297,308.

Although the decline appears substantial, an average can give a distorted picture in a county with relatively few monthly sales. One expensive mountain property, large-acreage tract, or unusually low-priced home can move the average considerably.

Consequently, the median sale price may offer a more useful measure of the typical transaction.

Realtor.com Economic Research places Chattooga County’s August median sale price at $170,000. That is $15,000, or 8.1%, below the approximately $185,000 median recorded one year earlier.

The median is the midpoint of all sale prices. Half of the homes sold for more, while the other half sold for less. Because it is less affected by unusually expensive or inexpensive properties, it generally provides a steadier reading than the average.

Still, even the median can change quickly when only a small number of homes sell during a particular month.

Buyers Have More Choices and More Time

Inventory also increased from last year. Realtor.com counted 169 active listings in Chattooga County during August, up 6.5% from one year earlier and nearly 37% from three years earlier.

Meanwhile, the median listing price reached $219,750. That was 4.2% higher than last year but approximately 10% lower than three years ago.

Those figures show an important division between seller expectations and completed sales. While the median asking price increased, the median price of homes that actually sold declined.

However, the median listing price and median sale price should not be directly subtracted to calculate a typical negotiation discount. The two figures represent different groups of properties. Many homes included in the active inventory did not sell during August.

Homes also remained available longer. The county’s median time on the market reached 86 days, an increase of 45% from a year earlier and nearly 18% from three years earlier.

That longer marketing period can give buyers additional time to compare properties, arrange inspections, negotiate repairs, and evaluate financing. Conversely, sellers may need to prepare for a longer process or adjust pricing when a property attracts limited interest.

Realtor.com classified Chattooga County as a balanced market during August. In that classification, overall supply and demand are considered relatively even.

The service also reported a countywide sale-to-list ratio of approximately 100%. That measure differs from the Georgia MLS average-price comparison because the organizations use different datasets and calculation methods.

Conditions Differ Across Chattooga County

The countywide figures also conceal notable differences among individual communities.

Realtor.com listed Summerville’s median asking price at $243,750, with homes spending a median of 83 days on the market. Summerville’s marketing time increased nearly 54% from one year earlier.

Trion had a median listing price of $202,500 and a median market time of 49 days. Unlike the countywide trend, Trion’s median time on the market was 12.5% shorter than one year earlier.

Lyerly’s median asking price stood at $219,900, while its listings spent a median of 112 days on the market. Cloudland and Menlo had higher median asking prices of $459,000 and $410,000, respectively. Both communities recorded a median market time of 90 days.

Those differences reflect the county’s varied housing stock. The market includes homes in Summerville and Trion, rural properties, manufactured housing, acreage, and higher-priced mountain homes around Cloudland and Menlo.

As a result, changes in the types and locations of homes sold can significantly affect a countywide monthly figure.

Other Data Also Point to Softer Prices

A separate Redfin market analysis found that Chattooga County’s median sale price was $164,517 over the three months ending in July. That was nearly 9.9% below the same period one year earlier.

Redfin reported 20 July sales, compared with eight during July 2025. It also calculated a 97.6% sale-to-list ratio for the period.

Its report showed a median market time of 44 days, compared with 81 days one year earlier. That result differs from Realtor.com’s August figure of 86 days.

The difference does not necessarily indicate that either report is incorrect. Redfin’s figure covers a three-month period ending in July, while Realtor.com’s figure describes August inventory. Each organization also uses its own methodology and source data.

Nevertheless, both reports point to a broader pattern: transaction counts have risen from weak year-earlier levels while median sale prices have moved lower.

Chattooga County Diverges From the Statewide Price Trend

Chattooga County’s falling prices contrast with a mostly stable statewide market.

The Georgia Association of Realtors reported that 64,631 residential properties sold statewide from January through June. That was a decrease of only 0.8% from the first half of 2025.

At the same time, pending sales increased 0.3%, and new listings rose 1.1%. Georgia’s year-to-date median sale price increased 0.3% to $360,000, while the average sale price rose 1.7% to $449,292.

Therefore, Chattooga County’s August median of $170,000 remained far below the statewide median. Its year-over-year price movement also ran in the opposite direction.

The comparison should be interpreted carefully. The statewide report covers six months and thousands of sales, while the Chattooga County figures describe a small number of August transactions.

Mortgage Rates Remain an Affordability Challenge

Financing costs remain part of the housing market’s broader economic backdrop.

According to Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage reached 6.71% during the week ending Sept. 3. That was higher than 6.66% one week earlier and 6.50% during the same week of 2025.

The average 15-year fixed rate reached 6.04%, compared with 5.98% the previous week and 5.60% one year earlier.

For illustration, a buyer making a 20% down payment on a $170,000 home would borrow $136,000. At a 6.71% fixed rate over 30 years, principal and interest would total approximately $878 per month. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, closing costs, maintenance, and any association fees would be additional expenses.

Actual mortgage terms depend on credit history, loan type, down payment, lender fees, and other factors.

Local income levels also affect affordability. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts places Chattooga County’s median household income at $50,285 for the 2020-2024 period.

The Census Bureau estimates that 66.8% of occupied homes in the county are owner-occupied. It also reports 10,929 total housing units as of July 2025.

Those Census figures describe the county’s entire housing stock rather than homes currently changing hands. Therefore, they should not be directly compared with one month’s sale prices.

What the August Market Means

The clearest conclusion is that Chattooga County recorded more sales than it did during a particularly quiet August one year ago.

At the same time, median and average sale prices declined. Available inventory increased from last year, and listings remained on the market longer.

For buyers, those conditions may create additional choices and more time to evaluate a purchase. For sellers, accurate pricing, property condition, and patience may carry greater importance.

However, one month does not establish a lasting trend. September and fall sales will provide a better indication of whether the increase in closings continues and whether prices stabilize.

A local Realtor’s perspective could also help explain which price ranges are attracting buyers, whether sellers are making more concessions, and how conditions differ among Summerville, Trion, Lyerly, Menlo, and Cloudland.

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