What's Actually Happening in the Matthews and Stallings Market Right Now: Pricing, Inventory, and the Idlewild Road Widening

If you're watching the Matthews and Stallings market right now, here's the short version: inventory is up, homes are taking longer to sell than they were a year ago, and a $8.7 million road project is about to change how this whole corner of Union and Mecklenburg County moves.

Quick Answer: The Matthews and Stallings market has more inventory and longer days on market than a year ago, giving buyers real negotiating room while sellers who price accurately are still moving quickly. I'm Jennifer Ledford with The Ledford Group, and after 10+ years working the Charlotte Metro, this is exactly the kind of shift worth walking through market by market instead of guessing.

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What the numbers actually say right now

I've helped 250+ buyers and sellers in the Charlotte Metro navigate markets in every direction, and the story across the region this year is consistent. Days on market across the Canopy MLS Charlotte region rose 7.1% to 45 days in July 2026, up from 46 days the year before, according to Canopy Realtor Association's own July 2026 regional report. That's not a Matthews-specific number, it's the whole region, but it sets the backdrop for what's happening here locally.

Current median sold price for Matthews/Stallings, and Current average days on market for Matthews/Stallings specifically are the two numbers I'd pull before we talk strategy, whether you're buying or listing. Regional trends tell you the direction. Local, current numbers tell you what to actually do.

What that direction means in plain terms: buyers have more time to think, more homes to compare, and more room to ask for what they want. Sellers who price off last year's expectations are the ones watching their listings sit.

The road project that's about to change this corridor

The single biggest story in Matthews and Stallings right now isn't a listing, it's a road. NCDOT awarded an $8.7 million contract to widen Idlewild Road from two lanes to four between I-485 and Stallings Road, with Stallings Road itself being realigned to meet Idlewild further from the interstate and a new dual-lane roundabout going in at that intersection. Crosswalks and sidewalks are part of the plan too. Construction is underway now, with completion targeted for fall 2026.

As a listing specialist who's watched infrastructure projects move markets before, here's what I'd tell you plainly: road widenings like this one almost always mean two things happening at once. Short-term, there's construction noise and detour headaches for anyone living or driving through the corridor. Medium-term, better traffic flow and new pedestrian access tend to lift interest in the neighborhoods that road serves, especially once the roundabout and sidewalks are actually finished and usable.

If you're buying near this corridor right now, factor the construction timeline into your decision, not just the finished product. If you're selling, this is exactly the kind of context an out-of-area buyer won't know to ask about, and it's worth putting in your listing description once the timeline firms up.

Sant� Matthews: the development everyone's asking about

Right next to that same Idlewild and Stallings intersection, a much bigger project is taking shape. Pappas Properties paid nearly $19.7 million for about 82 acres there to build Sante Matthews, a mixed-use project with a grocery store, a bank, restaurants, retail, and residential units. The town council approved the rezoning 5 to 2 after Pappas adjusted the site plan to reduce some of the originally proposed housing density, add an attainable housing program, and build in more green space.

The full build-out is expected to bring roughly 655 residential units and 138,000 square feet of commercial space to the site, with the first phase largely built out in 2025 and the second phase continuing through 2026.

In my 10+ years working this market, projects at this scale reliably do one thing: they change what "walkable Matthews" means for the neighborhoods nearby. A grocery store and restaurants within walking distance of established streets is the kind of amenity that shows up in buyer searches for years after the ribbon cutting.

Who's actually moving to Matthews and Stallings right now

Matthews and Stallings pull a specific kind of buyer, and it's worth naming directly. A lot of the families I work with here are commuting into Charlotte's uptown employers, Atrium Health, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America among them, but they've decided the drive is worth it for more space and a real downtown feel they can't get closer in. Others are coming from Mecklenburg County neighborhoods that have gotten more expensive and dense, looking for a similar small-town character without paying South Park or Myers Park prices.

I've helped 250+ buyers and sellers in the Charlotte Metro, and the pattern I see most in Matthews and Stallings is a buyer who wants walkability without giving up a yard. That's a harder combination to find than people expect, and it's exactly what this corridor offers once the Idlewild Road project wraps and Sante Matthews fills in around it.

What this means if you're buying in Matthews or Stallings

If you're house hunting here right now, you're in a better negotiating position than buyers were even 18 months ago. More inventory regionally means you can take a second look before writing an offer instead of feeling pressured to move on the first thing that fits your budget.

Neighborhoods like Fairhaven, Bonterra, The Courtyards at Matthews, and Crismark each have a different feel and price point, so it's worth cross-shopping more than one before you settle on where you want to be. Families choosing Matthews and Stallings are usually weighing school zones heavily, and Stallings Elementary, Porter Ridge Middle, and Porter Ridge High are the names that come up most in those conversations.

If walkability and small-town character matter to you, downtown Matthews itself is genuinely charming, not a strip mall dressed up as a downtown. The Matthews Community Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings on Trade Street and is a real community institution, not just a photo opportunity.

What this means if you're selling in Matthews or Stallings

If you're thinking about listing, the biggest mistake I'm seeing sellers make right now is pricing off comps that are six months old or more. With days on market extending regionally, buyers have more time to compare your home against three or four others instead of just yours. That means your pricing has to hold up under real comparison, not just look good on the first day.

The Idlewild Road project and Sante Matthews are both worth mentioning to your agent before you list, even if they feel unrelated to your specific street. Buyers relocating from out of state especially want to know what's changing nearby, and a well-informed listing conversation beats a buyer finding out about a road project mid-contract.

Curious what your Matthews or Stallings home is actually worth in today's market? Get a real number here: What's My Matthews Home Worth?

How Matthews and Stallings compares to what's happening elsewhere this week

Matthews and Stallings isn't moving in isolation. I'm covering current conditions across five of my markets this week, and the patterns rhyme more than you'd expect even though the details differ. If you're also weighing new construction options, my breakdown of what's happening in the Marvin market right now covers the new luxury communities entering that pipeline, and if Union County schools and larger lots matter more to you than walkability, take a look at what's happening in Weddington this week too. Buyers who are more budget-conscious and open to newer construction should also look at what's happening in Indian Trail, where builders are active across nine different communities right now.

None of Jennifer's markets exist in a vacuum. Cross-shopping is smart. Just make sure whoever's walking you through it actually knows more than one of them.

Life in Matthews and Stallings while you're deciding

Part of choosing this market is knowing what you're actually buying into. Grab dinner at Sante Restaurant downtown, an upscale local favorite that's ideal for date nights, or head to Nishie G's Cafe for Southern comfort food that regulars drive across town for. For groceries and everyday errands, Sycamore Commons covers the basics, and if you want a Saturday morning tradition, the farmers market on Trade Street is where a lot of longtime residents start their weekend.

For outdoor time, Squirrel Lake Park has 35 acres with lake fishing, disc golf, and a walking trail, and the McAlpine Creek Greenway connects into a broader trail network if you're a runner or a dog walker. Matthews Municipal Park hosts events throughout the year, and Matthews Alive is the signature community festival people plan their fall around.

That's the version of Matthews and Stallings you're actually buying into. Small-town character, real infrastructure investment underway, and a market that's giving buyers room to breathe again.

Frequently asked questions

Is now a good time to buy a home in Matthews or Stallings, NC? Yes, for most buyers. Regional inventory and days on market have both increased, giving buyers more homes to compare and more negotiating room than they had a year or two ago, while well-located homes near the Idlewild Road corridor still draw strong interest.

What is the Idlewild Road widening project in Matthews and Stallings? It's an $8.7 million NCDOT project widening Idlewild Road from two to four lanes between I-485 and Stallings Road, adding a dual-lane roundabout at the Idlewild and Stallings intersection along with new crosswalks and sidewalks, with completion targeted for fall 2026.

What is Sante Matthews and how big is it? Sante Matthews is a mixed-use development from Pappas Properties on about 82 acres at Stallings and Idlewild roads, expected to include roughly 655 residential units, a grocery store, restaurants, retail, and a bank, with the first phase largely complete and the second phase continuing through 2026.

How long does it take to sell a home in Matthews or Stallings right now? Exact local numbers should come from current MLS data, but regionally, days on market across the Charlotte Metro rose to 55 days in July 2026, up from 46 the year before, so sellers should expect a longer, more comparison-driven process than in past years.

If you're weighing whether this is the year to list, get a free, no-pressure read on your home's value here: What's My Matthews Home Worth?

About Jennifer Ledford: Jennifer Ledford is a licensed REALTOR with The Ledford Group at eXp Realty LLC, serving buyers and sellers across Mecklenburg, Union, Stanly, and York Counties since 2016. She is among the top 3% of 18,000+ agents in the Charlotte Metro, an eXp ICON, and has guided 250+ clients through some of the most significant transactions of their lives. Reach her at 704-607-6996 or https://the-ledford-group.com.

Jennifer Ledford | 704-607-6996 | https://the-ledford-group.com

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About the author

Jennifer Ledford, REALTOR, has helped Charlotte-area buyers and sellers full time since 2016, with 250+ homes sold. She is a Certified Negotiation Expert with The Ledford Group at eXp Realty LLC.

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