May home sales in Valley rose over May 2011

Staff report

Youngstown

Home sales increased throughout the region in May compared with May 2011.

The biggest change was in Trumbull and Columbiana counties where sales of new and current homes were up by 13 and 11, respectively, according to figures from the Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors.

In Mahoning County, 189 homes were sold in May, two more than the previous May. Sales were down in May compared with the previous month by 17. The median price of homes sold in Mahoning County was $75,000 in May compared with $66,500 in April.

This is the third- consecutive month the median price has increased in the county.

Trumbull County home sales had a sizable increase from April to May with 35 additional homes purchased.

Median home prices in Trumbull County have increased from $61,750 in May 2011 to $75,000 this year in May.

The median home-sale price in Columbiana County has decreased in each of the past three months going from $67,500 in March, $64,325 in April to $56,000 in May.

The number of homes bought in the county virtually was unchanged between April and May, dropping by one to 60 sales.

Sales in the Mahoning Valley are increasing, however, which keeps with the trend occurring throughout Northeast Ohio.

The Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange, which includes Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, had a 33-percent increase in home sales during May.

The NEOHREX region also includes Summit, Portage, Stark, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Medina, Ashtabula, Wayne, Holmes and Lorain counties.