Monday, May 08, 2006

Home Listings Grow Slightly While Prices Soar

Home sales in Snohomish County picked up a bit in March, while prices continued their upward climb, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service said.

The number of homes on the market grew slightly in March up 3.8 percent to 3,242, stopping what has been a steady decline in the number of homes for sale in comparison to this time a year ago. Closed sales also were slightly above 2005 figures, up 2.8 percent to 1,537.

The biggest change was in the median price.

Combined prices for both condos and single-family homes hit $309,950 in March, a 20.33 percent increase from March 2005. That was among the biggest increases in the Puget Sound area, although smaller than in Skagit County, where homes appreciated by 35.7 percent.

For just single-family homes, the Snohomish County median price was $330,000. For condos, it was $189,970. Median price means half the homes sold for more and half sold for less.