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Housing sales keep moving upward
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Though November typically is a slow month for housing sales, all three counties in the Mahoning Valley saw positive figures.
Mahoning County saw an increase in pending and closed sales, while Columbiana saw an increase in pending sales and a decrease in closed sales, according to the Youngstown/Columbiana Association of Realtors.
Trumbull County saw an increase in both, according to the Warren Area Board of Realtors.
“That just gives overall confidence to all involved that things are on the upswing, and we look forward to 2016,” said Michael D. Klacik, broker and Realtor for Klacik Realty in Poland.
Klacik wasn’t surprised by the increase in closed sales because of the length of time it takes for sales to close. For example, an October sale may not close until December.
Klacik expects his sales to either increase or stay the same as last year, which was the first year he saw an increase since the recession.
“2014 started an upward trend,” he said.
In Mahoning County, November’s pending sales were up 33.2 percent over last year, and closed sales were up 17.5 percent. New listings dropped by 13.7 percent. The average sales price dropped 9 percent.
For the year so far, the county has seen a 9.2 percent increase in new listings; a 21 percent increase in pending sales; and a 16.2 percent increase in closed sales.
“I am pleasantly surprised that sales increased like they did,” Klacik said. “I didn’t think they would bounce back like they did.”
In Columbiana County, new listings in November increased by 20.3 percent; pending sales increased by 42.1 percent; and closed sales decreased 1.4 percent during the month. The average sale price decreased by 1.7 percent during the month.
For the year, new listings increased by 4 percent; pending sales increased 9.5 percent; and closed sales increased 2.2 percent.
In Trumbull County, for the month the county saw a 19.6 percent decrease in new listings; a 27.2 percent increase in pending sales; and a 1.3 percent increase in closed sales. The average sale price dropped 6.9 percent during the month.
For the year so far, Trumbull has seen a 1.2 percent decrease in new listings; pending sales will increase 12.8 percent; and closed sales increased 8.9 percent.
There is “positive movement upward, and I am encouraged by that. I don’t see it stopping,” Klacik said.