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sheville residents Pear Benjasirichai and Craig Budzynski were fortunate to find their new home unscathed after Tropical Storm Helene passed through Western North Carolina nearly a month ago. Located 100 feet above the Swannanoa River, their West Asheville house was spared from the devastating floodwaters that swept away homes and businesses two miles downstream. "One big branch on a tree far from the home was broken, but that was it," Budzynski said. "Everything was fine and calm here."

    However, many sellers and buyers took a pause or terminated contracts after the storm. The number of homes going under contract in Buncombe County dropped by 62.5% to 57 between October 9 and 22 compared to last year. About 105 homes were withdrawn from the market between September 27 and October 24, according to Canopy MLS.

    The storm's impact on the WNC housing market remains unclear due to variables such as school reopening dates and the time it takes for water and power to return. "It's slowly coming back," said Mike Figura, broker and owner of Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty. "Every week, we're seeing a pick-up in the market."

    Asheville Realtor Adrienne Crowther is optimistic about the community's response to the disaster. "People are still loving Asheville and want to move here," she said. "I've heard from buyers recently that they are so impressed by the community response and are convinced this is the community they want to live in." The housing supply declined further after the storm damaged tens of thousands of homes, but Crowther sees reason for hope.

    As of October 23, about 126,000 homes were counted as damaged in North Carolina by the tropical storm, which caused an estimated nearly $12.2 billion in overall damage. Single-family homes, manufactured homes, and duplexes are affected the most. The disruption might have a far-reaching impact on the housing market and demography in the region.

    Samuel Gunter, executive director at the North Carolina Housing Coalition, is concerned that local residents will be priced out after displacement. "I'm very concerned about what the future would look like in Western North Carolina," he said. "We're already hearing people making cash offers on homes and taking advantage of people in a moment of uncertainty."