Inman

High-end real estate sales climb in Ohio

Home sales in Central Ohio during January climbed modestly from their year-ago level, with the high-end home sales market recording double-digit gains, according to the Columbus Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.

“We saw a large increase in sales of homes over $250,000 in January – almost 35 percent,” said Doug McCloud, 2005 president of the Columbus Board of Realtors. “This is a switch from 2004 as, throughout the year, homes in the lower price ranges were selling in higher numbers.”

Overall, Realtors reported 1,252 home sales in January, up 1.6 percent over the 1,232 homes sold in January 2004.

The average sale price in the Central Ohio region jumped 11 percent in January to $167,888 from $151,058 a year ago.

Realtors helped sell more than $2.1 million dollars worth of homes last month, a 12.9 percent increase over January of 2004. “Although it’s only the first month of the year,” McCloud said, “it’s a pretty healthy start for 2005.”

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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