Del Webb at RiverLights: 474 Sales, Zero New Construction, and What the Resale Market Looks Like Now

The Buildout Is Over

Del Webb at RiverLights sold its last new construction home in December 2023. After 374 builder sales over seven years, the community is fully built out. Every transaction from here forward is a resale.

That shift changes the math for buyers and sellers alike. During the builder phase, Del Webb averaged over five sales per month. In 2024 and 2025 combined, the resale market averaged just 1.1 sales per month. Median days on market stretched from single digits to 66. The list-to-sold ratio dropped from 100% to 98%.

I pulled all 474 closed sales in Del Webb at RiverLights from 2017 through February 2026 to answer three questions: how has the community performed as an investment, where does the market stand today, and what should buyers and sellers expect going forward?

Seven Years of Sales: 2017 to 2025

Source: NCRMLS, 2017-2025 closed sales. Del Webb at RiverLights subdivision. n = 468 (excludes 6 partial-year 2026 sales).

Two distinct chapters emerge. From 2017 to 2023, this was a builder-driven market. Pulte (Del Webb's parent) controlled pricing, and most homes went under contract at or above list price within days. Volume held steady at 50 to 88 sales per year. Median price climbed from $332,952 to $600,385, an 80% increase over six years.

Then the builder left. In 2024, volume dropped to 13 sales. In 2025, 14. The community shifted overnight from a new construction conveyor belt to a traditional resale market, and the adjustment has been measurable.

The Appreciation Story

The headline number is strong. Price per square foot has climbed from $189 in 2017 to $297 in 2025, a 57% increase over eight years.

But there's a nuance worth understanding. The 2023 median price of $600,385 was inflated by the builder's final phase, which skewed toward larger, higher-priced floor plans (median 2,430 square feet). By 2024 and 2025, the resale mix shifted back toward the community's bread-and-butter product: 2-bedroom homes in the 1,500 to 1,750 square foot range. That brought the median price down to the low $500s even as price per square foot continued to climb.

The resale-only trend tells a cleaner story:

Source: NCRMLS. Filtered: New Construction = No.

Resale price per square foot has climbed from $192 in 2019 to $297 in 2024 and 2025, a 55% increase in six years. The earliest resales in 2019 and 2020 were small samples (4 and 8 sales), but the trend has been consistent since. That appreciation held even as the broader market cooled and days on market lengthened. Buyers are paying more per square foot, but they're being more selective about size.

What Buyers Are Choosing

Del Webb at RiverLights is entirely single-family residential, and 78% of homes sold are single-story. The community was built for the 55-and-over buyer, and the floor plan data reflects that.

Source: NCRMLS. All 474 closed sales.

Two-bedroom homes are the most popular product, capturing just over half of all sales. Most fall between 1,234 and 2,000 square feet, though some larger plans reach over 3,000 SF. The most common floor plans land at 1,548 SF (52 sales), 1,755 SF (33 sales), and 1,355 SF (24 sales).

Three-bedroom homes are nearly as popular and drive the higher end of the price range. Four-bedroom homes are rare (5.5% of sales), mostly concentrated in the 3,000+ square foot range.

Where the Volume Sits by Price

Source: NCRMLS. All 474 closed sales.

Two-thirds of all sales (67.3%) fell between $300,000 and $500,000. The under-$300K tier is historical: those were early builder prices that no longer exist in the community. Today's resale entry point sits around $400,000 for a 2-bedroom home, with 3-bedroom homes starting in the upper $400s.

The Velocity Shift

This is the most important data for current owners and prospective sellers. The market has slowed significantly since new construction ended.

During the builder phase (2017 to 2023), Del Webb averaged 4.2 to 7.3 sales per month. Most homes went under contract within days, many on the first day of listing. The builder controlled pricing, managed the sales pipeline, and maintained a model home center that drove foot traffic.

When Pulte completed its final deliveries in late 2023, all of that infrastructure disappeared. No more model homes. No more on-site sales team. No more national marketing budget.

The result:

Source: NCRMLS. Monthly pace = annual sales / 12.

Absorption dropped 79% from the builder phase to the resale-only market. Median days on market went from 1 day to 63. The list-to-sold ratio moved from 100% down to 98.1%, meaning sellers are conceding roughly 2% from their asking price on average.

This isn't a distress signal. It's a normalization. Builder-phase velocity was never sustainable for a resale market. No individual seller has a model home, a marketing budget, or a sales team taking appointments seven days a week. The question is whether 1.1 sales per month is a floor or whether more softening lies ahead.

The Cash Buyer Trend

One encouraging signal: the 2025 cash buyer percentage surged to 71%, up from 23% in 2024 and well above the community's historical 30% average.

With just 14 data points in 2025, that number carries some volatility. But the direction is notable. Active adult buyers in this price range tend to be downsizers or relocators selling a primary residence, and many are in a position to purchase without financing. As rate-sensitive buyers step to the sidelines, the cash-heavy buyer pool keeps the market functioning even at slower volume.

What This Means for Sellers

If you bought during the builder phase and are considering selling, here's the reality:

Your home has appreciated. A 2-bedroom purchased in 2017 at $189 per square foot is now trading around $297 per square foot. That's meaningful equity, even after accounting for HOA fees, property taxes, and transaction costs.

But the market requires patience. Homes are taking two months to sell, not two days. Pricing needs to be realistic from day one. The data shows recent resales closing at a median of 97% of their original asking price, which means overpricing by even a few percent will push your days on market well past the 60-day median.

What This Means for Buyers

Del Webb at RiverLights is now a resale-only community with a proven track record: 474 homes delivered, established HOA, completed amenities, and a mature landscape. The community sits within the RiverLights master plan on the Cape Fear River, with access to the marina, trails, parks, and the broader RiverLights village.

The current market favors buyers more than any point since the community's first year. Days on market are at their highest levels. Sellers are negotiating. And the product is mature: you can see exactly what you're buying, not a floor plan on paper.

Entry points today: around $400,000 for a 2-bedroom and mid-$400s to low $500s for a 3-bedroom. Price per square foot has stabilized at approximately $297 for the past two years.

Key Takeaways

The appreciation is real. Price per square foot climbed 57% from 2017 to 2025 ($189 to $297). Resale values have held even as the broader market slowed.

The builder phase is over. No new construction since December 2023. Every sale going forward is a resale, which changes the pace, the pricing dynamics, and the buyer experience.

Velocity has normalized. From 5+ sales per month during the builder years to 1.1 per month in 2024 and 2025. Days on market stretched to 66. This is a patient market.

Sellers need realistic pricing. Recent resales are closing at a median of 97% of original asking price. Homes priced right are still moving. Homes priced aspirationally are sitting.

Buyers have leverage. More inventory, longer days on market, and motivated sellers create room for negotiation that didn't exist during the builder phase.

The buyer pool is well-capitalized. 71% cash buyers in 2025 signals a resilient demand base that isn't rate-dependent.