Central Ohio home sales jumped 17.6 percent in November from their year-ago level, while the average home price grew more than 4 percent, according to the Columbus Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.
The 1,875 homes sold in November 2004 is the highest number of sales on record for the month of November, the association reported, although sales slowed from the 2,073 units sold in October. Year to date, 24,812 homes have been sold, putting the Columbus market 9.7 percent ahead of the same period last year.
“Columbus-area home sales have continued to stay almost 10 percent ahead of last year,” said Skip Weiler, president of the Columbus Board of Realtors. “We attribute this to the high demand for housing and interest rates remaining relatively stable over the last few months. It will be interesting to see if the Fed’s recent increase has any noticeable affect on the home-buying market in Central Ohio.”
The average sale price of a home in Central Ohio last month was $171,588, which is 4.8 percent higher than homes sold in November of 2003 but down from $176,527 in October 2004. Year to date, homes sold have averaged a 2 percent increase in sale price over last year.
Condo sales also increased in November, Weiler said. “Last year, there were 188 condos sold in November, and this year we sold 222, which is an 18 percent jump.”
The Columbus Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service serves all of Franklin, Delaware, Union, Madison and Morrow counties, and some of Licking, Fairfield, Knox, Logan, Marion and Pickaway counties.
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