Home sales in region increased in September

The number of home sales in a local nine-county region increased in September, while the average sale price fell.
The Ohio Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that 1,756 new and existing homes were sold in September in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Summit, Portage, Stark, Carroll, Tuscarawas and Coshocton counties. That was 56 homes more than were sold in September 2005, which was a 3 percent increase.
The average sale price in those counties last month was 128,300, a decline of 8 percent from the average price of 139,100 in the same month last year.
For the first nine months of this year, homes sales in the region were down 3 percent at 15,732, and the average sale price was down 1 percent at 132,400.
Statewide, home sales cooled in September.
Sales reached 11,825 last month, which was 10 percent off last September. Sales for September 2005 were a record for that month at 13,169.
The average statewide sale price of 152,000 last month was 4 percent lower than the average price of 158,200 in September 2005.
On pace with last year
Despite the pullback last month, the total numbers for this year are similar to the record-breaking levels posted last year, the Realtors said.
"The slight cooling of the Ohio housing market during the second half of 2006 is not unexpected," said Darlene Breen, association president. "We're still on pace for our second best year in terms of sales activity."
Statewide sales for the first nine months of this year were 109,286, which was 2 percent lower than last year's pace. The state's average sale price for the first nine months was 154,900, which also was 2 percent lower than last year's average price.
The 35,000-member association calculates its home sale figures based on statistics provided by the Multiple Listing Services throughout Ohio.