ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Home sales in western North Carolina have increased since last year, according to the latest report from a realtor group.

Canopy MLS, a subsidiary of the Canopy Realtor Association, reports that May home sales across the four-county Asheville area (Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Madison counties) reflected a spring market that remains “active and competitive.”

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A total of 592 homes closed in May, representing a 6.3 percent increase compared to May 2025 and a 2.1 percent gain over April, the report said. Buyer demand continued to strengthen, with pending sales, a leading indicator of future closings, surging 22.4 percent year over year as 728 properties went under contract during the month.

“The strength of buyer demand in May is encouraging and reflects continued confidence in the Asheville region as a place to live, work and invest,” said Dave Noyes, a Realtor/Designated Managing Broker with eXp Realty and Canopy MLS Board of Director, in a news release. “

ASHEVILLE HOUSING MARKET SHOWS STEADY STRENGTH AS INVENTORY RISES ACROSS REGION

Contract activity also increased 7.1 percent compared to April, signaling that buyers remained engaged despite mortgage rates averaging approximately 6.5 percent throughout May, the report said.

“Buyers are adapting to today’s mortgage rates and taking advantage of the increased inventory we’ve seen over the past year. Although fewer new listings came onto the market in May, homes continue to attract strong interest, which is helping maintain a healthy balance between supply and demand as we head into the summer months,” Noyes said.

While buyer activity increased , new listing activity moderated. Sellers introduced 1,165 homes to the market in May, a 6.7 percent decline compared to the same month last year and a 7.7 percent decrease from April. Even so, the region’s inventory of homes for sale continued to expand, rising 3.2 percent year over year to 3,092 properties at report time. Months of supply, however, declined from six months in May 2025 to 5.4 months this past May, suggesting that the pace of buyer demand is absorbing available inventory faster than new listings are being added.

The report said that although buyers have more choices than a year ago, the market remains relatively balanced, with strong contract activity continuing to support overall sales momentum.

Texas A&M baseball made a massive splash in the transfer portal Friday morning with the pickup of a premier left-hander from a Southeastern Conference foe.

Oklahoma southpaw Trent Collier is returning to his home state to play for the Aggies in 2027, according to reports from TexAgs’ Richard Zane. Collier pitched for the national-championship-winning Sooners this past season, posting a 3.80 ERA through 23.2 innings pitched and striking out 28 hitters. He was called upon for two appearances in Oklahoma’s postseason run to the national title, allowing no hits with two strikeouts against Georgia Tech and North Carolina.

Collier will come to Bryan-College Station to pitch for the Fightin’ Texas Aggies as a junior for head coach Michael Earley in 2027.

Rebuilding a depleted pitching staff was one of the top priorities for Earley this offseason, after posting a 5.24 team ERA in 2026. Collier is the sixth pitcher to commit to the Aggies out of the transfer portal and the ninth overall addition.

• The capsule will contain artifacts from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the federal government.
• South Carolina contributed a commemorative challenge coin and an official SC250 lapel pin to the project.
• The time capsule will be sealed on July 4, at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.

As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary, one of the efforts underway is America’s Time Capsule.

The time capsule project is led by America250 and meant to bring together carefully selected artifacts and documents from all 50 states, five U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and each branch of the federal government.

This national project is designed to capture the story of the United States at this historic 250th birthday, according to America250.

Here’s what South Carolina contributed to the national project.

What did South Carolina put in the America250 time capsule?

South Carolina is marking the nation’s 250th anniversary by contributing two historic items to the national America’s Time Capsule project, according to America250.

As part of the SouthCarolina250, which is the state’s initiative for the U.S.’s 250th celebration, commemoration effort, the state has provided a commemorative challenge coin and an official SC250 lapel pin.

Both will be buried inside the capsule on July 4, along with items from other states. And it is set to be reopened 250 years later in 2276.