New York home sales climb in February

New York realtors sold nearly 10 percent more homes in February of 2012 than they did during the same month last year, according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR).

Across the state, 4,521 single-family homes sold in February, which is 9.6 percent more than the same month in 2011. In February 2011, realtors sold 4,124 homes in New York State.

“We are pleased to see the upswing in February sales after several years of flat sales numbers in that month,” NYSAR CEO Duncan MacKenzie said in a news release. “In addition to strong market fundamentals such [as] historically low mortgage rates and plentiful inventory, the mild winter kept buyers out of hibernation and active on the market.”

This February’s total number of sales was slightly lower than in January of this year, when 4,639 homes sold. That means the number of homes sold declined by 2.5 percent from January of 2012 to February.

However, the statewide median sale price of existing single-family homes climbed from January 2012. It was $220,000 in February, up 6.3 percent from January, when the median sale price was $207,000.

The median sale price in February remained below the level of the same month last year. In February 2011, the median sale price for a home registered $239,900, meaning prices have declined 8.3 percent since then.

Home sales in Central New York were higher in February 2012 than they were in February of last year. Movement in median sales prices was mixed.

Realtors in Broome County sold 101 homes in February 2012, up 80.4 percent from February 2011, when just 56 homes sold. February 2012 sales fell 9 percent from January of this year, though, when 111 homes sold.

The median sales price in Broome County in February of this year was $105,000, which is 2.4 percent higher than the same month last year, when it was $102,500. But it was 0.9 percent lower than January of this year, when the median sale price was $106,000.

In Oneida County, realtors sold 91 homes this February, up 33.8 percent from February last year, when they sold 68 homes. This February’s home sales were also 16.7 percent higher than January of this year, when realtors sold 78 homes in the county.

Homes sold had a median price of $103,000 in Oneida County this February, which was higher than both February 2011 and January of 2012. It was 10.1 percent higher than February 2011, when the median price was $93,550, and 9 percent higher than January of 2012, when the median price was $94,500.

February 2012 saw 179 homes sell in Onondaga County, up 11.2 percent from February 2011, when 161 homes sold. This February’s sales were down 18.3 percent from January of 2012, when 219 homes sold.

The median sale price in Onondaga County came in at $115,000 in February 2012, which is 6 percent below February 2011’s median sale price of $122,300. It is also 5.7 percent below January 2012’s median sale price of $122,000.

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