Greenville Buyers Market: Real-Time Data Shows New Construction Is Driving the Feel

Greenville has felt like a buyers market lately—even while classic “seller vs. buyer” gauges say otherwise. Thanks to brand-new InfoSparks access from the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS®, we can finally see the real-time data behind that feeling and connect the dots.

Why the Greenville Buyers Market “Feel” Is Real

InfoSparks lets us split the market into previously owned (resale/existing) homes versus new construction. That’s where the story lives.

New Listings Are Surging—Because Builders Are Flooding the Zone

• At the 2025 peak, May clocked ~2,710 new listings versus ~2,267 at last year’s peak—nearly a 20% jump.

• The mix shifted fast: in August 2025, resales brought ~1,506 new listings while new construction added ~799. That’s less than a 2:1 ratio. A decade ago it was closer to 4–5:1.

• Remember: many builders don’t list every home in the MLS, so the real new-build pipeline is even bigger than the data shows.

Active Inventory: Resales vs. New Builds Are Nearly Neck-and-Neck

In August 2025, actives looked roughly 3,423 resales vs. 2,201 new builds—again under 2:1. Historically that gap was wider. Translation: sellers of existing homes aren’t just competing with neighbors anymore—they’re competing with entire communities of new homes.

Closed Sales: Resales Are Off Their Peak While New Construction Is Setting Records

Resale closings peaked back in June 2021 and remain well below that high. Meanwhile, new-construction closings hit an all-time monthly high in March 2025 and stayed elevated most of the year. Builders are capturing demand—especially from budget-sensitive buyers.

The Wild One: A Rare Price Inversion

For much of the period since May 2024, new construction has been cheaper than resales—a stunning flip of the norm. Recent medians showed ~$309,900 (new) vs ~$335,000 (resale). Outside a brief blip in 2021, that almost never happens. If you can buy brand-new for less than lived-in, many buyers will.

Months of Supply: Converging Toward a Tipping Point

Resales sit around ~3.6 months; new construction about ~4.3 months—closer than usual. In the Great Recession, this metric inverted (resales had more supply than new builds). We’re not there, but convergence signals why the Greenville buyers market vibe is so strong even before headline metrics flash “Buyer’s Market.”

How New Construction Skews the Greenville Buyers Market

• Price & Incentives: Builders hit payments from multiple angles—rate buydowns, closing-cost credits, appliances, fencing, smart-home packages—pressure that typical sellers struggle to match.

• Availability: Entire phases release at once, giving buyers choices on plans, lots, and timelines that resales can’t replicate.

• Perceived Risk: Warranties and “never-lived-in” status reduce repair anxiety—especially with today’s budget-tight buyers.

What This Means for Sellers (Resales)

• Price to the Competition You Actually Face: Don’t just comp against nearby resales—pull the new-construction comps your buyers are touring the same weekend.

• Lead With Condition: Fresh paint, flooring, lighting, and exterior cleanup go further when you’re up against “brand new.”

• Offer Buyer-Focused Value: Consider rate buydowns, closing help, or minor upgrades that solve pain points (fridge/washer/dryer, privacy fencing, window treatments).

• Market the Differentiators: Larger lots, mature trees, crawlspace foundations, no HOA, established schools/commute times—highlight what builders can’t copy.

What This Means for Buyers

• Price Compare Apples-to-Apples: If a new build is cheaper than a similar resale, get the full incentive sheet and compare total cost of ownership (HOA, lot size, taxes, energy efficiency).

• Mind the Lot & Lifestyle: New neighborhoods may mean smaller lots and stricter HOAs; resales may deliver space, shade, and flexibility.

• Watch Months of Supply: More options = more leverage. Use it for concessions, repairs, or a buydown—on either side of the market.

Watch or Listen to the Selling Greenville Podcast

Prefer to go deeper in audio/video? I walk through the InfoSparks splits (resale vs. new construction), the price inversion, and how to position your purchase or listing in real time.

Bottom Line

The Greenville buyers market feeling isn’t a mirage. Builders have expanded supply, undercut prices in many cases, and compressed months of inventory toward resale levels. If you’re selling, you’re competing with communities, not just neighbors. If you’re buying, you have more leverage and choices than you’ve had in years—especially in new construction.

Text me (info in the show notes) and I’ll pull a side-by-side of the exact new-build communities competing with your resale—or the best builder incentives competing with your favorite resale—so your next move fits your budget and your lifestyle.

Ien Araneta

Journal & Podcast Editor | Selling Greenville