Homes sale up more than 15 across state

Staff report

COLUMBUS

Homes sales across Ohio rose 15.5 percent in June, as the market posted year-over-year gains in activity for the 24th-consecutive month, according to the Ohio Association of Realtors.

“Over the past two years, the Ohio housing market — month-by-month — has made slow, steady and consistent progress in its effort to recover from the economic challenges wrought by the recession,” said Thomas J. Williams, president of the Ohio Association of Realtors. “Attaining 24-consecutive months of gains in sales activity — our longest stretch in uninterrupted growth in 16 years of tracking Ohio home sales — is a clear indicator of growing consumer confidence and a renewed appreciation that housing is a solid, long-term investment.”

Sales through the first six months of 2013 reached 61,297, a 15.8 percent increase from the 52,932 sales posted during the same period a year ago.

Total dollar volume this year is nearly $8.6 billion, a 23.3 percent increase from the six-month mark of a year ago of $6.9 billion.

Regionally, the Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange, which includes Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, reported that home sales were up 13.5 per-cent in June compared with the previous year.

For the first half of 2013, home sales have increased by 12 percent over 2012 figures with an increase of more than 2,000 homes sold.