New York home sales, median prices rise about 6 percent in first half of year

New York state realtors sold 45,000 previously owned homes in the first half of 2013, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to the same period in 2012, according to a housing-market report the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR) released today.

Closed home sales totaled nearly 26,000 in the second quarter, up about six percent from the 2012 total of 24,393, the organization said.

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

Realtors are reporting a “very active statewide market” at the midway point of the year, Duncan MacKenzie, CEO of NYSAR, said in a news release.

“Buyers are snapping up available inventory, while trying to lock into the lowest possible mortgage rate. Meanwhile, healthy sales price increases are turning previously on-the-sidelines homeowners into home sellers,” MacKenzie said.

The year-to-date (through June 30) statewide median-sales price of $220,000 represents a six percent increase from the same period a year ago. The 2013 second quarter median of $225,000 is nine percent above the second-quarter median of 2012, NYSAR said.

The median-sales price of $242,475 in June was a nearly 12 percent jump from the median figure of June 2012.

Pending home sales totaled nearly 59,000, an increase of 14 percent through the first six months of 2013. The 19 percent jump in second-quarter pending sales drove the increase, NYSAR said.

Pending sales in June were nearly 18 percent above figure in June 2012.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com