New York closed, pending home sales jump in December

CNY sales also rise  

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York realtors sold 15,417 previously-owned homes in December, up about 34.5 percent from 11,461 homes sold in the year-ago month. Pending sales in December also jumped. 

That’s according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR)’s December housing-market report, which was issued on Jan. 22.

“Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, real estate activity in the Empire State continued to rise with sales and new listings remaining strong through December,” NYSAR said in the report. 

Sales data

Pending sales totaled nearly 10,967 in December, up 37.3 percent from pending sales of 7,985 in the same month in 2019, according to the NYSAR data.

The December 2020 statewide median sales price was $350,000, up about 22 percent from $286,000 in December 2019.

The months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of December stood at 3.3 months, down from 4.6 months at the end of December 2019, per NYSAR’s report. A 6-month to 6.5-month supply is considered to be a balanced market, per the association.

The number of homes for sale totaled 40,836 in December, a decrease of about 22 percent from 52,743 homes a year before. However, the state had 8,955 new listings in December, up 10 percent from 8,131 in December 2019. 

Central New York data

Realtors in Onondaga County sold 572 previously owned homes in December, up 30 percent from the 439 homes sold in the same month in 2019. The median sales price rose about 4 percent to $165,000 from more than $159,000 a year earlier, according to the NYSAR report.

The association also reports that realtors sold 194 homes in Oneida County in December, up about 11 percent compared to the 175 sold during December 2019. The median sales price increased 14 percent to $155,000 from $136,000 a year prior.

Realtors in Broome County sold 179 existing homes in December, up over 11 percent from 161 a year ago, according to the NYSAR report. The median sales price rose 29 percent to $145,000 from more than $112,000 a year before.

In Jefferson County, realtors closed on 153 homes in December, up about 76 percent from 87 a year ago, and the median sales price of $175,000 was up more than 14 percent from $153,000 a year earlier, according to the NYSAR data.

All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York state and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, according to NYSAR.