North Texas existing home sales increased for the third consecutive month in September, leaving sales for 2011 down only 3 percent.
Buyers, apparently still taking advantage of record low mortgage rates, scooped up 5,515 homes in the 29-county region, 14 percent more than in September 2010, the Texas A&M Real Estate Center reported Monday.And in an encouraging note, pending sales were up 13 percent in September.The September sales increase was smaller than the 27 percent gain in August and 18 percent in July. Sales were flat in June, ending 12 straight months of declining monthly sales.Moreover, year-to-date sales reached 49,332 homes, 3 percent less than the same nine-month period of 2010, figures show. At the end of August, year-to-date sales had been down 4 percent from a year ago. Earlier in the year, annual sales had been down as much as 15 percent from 2010.In Tarrant County, September sales decreased in only six of the 31 submarkets. Sales more than doubled in Hurst and Roanoke, and were up 87 percent in northeast Arlington.Sales of condos and town homes in downtown Fort Worth were up 200 percent.The region's median home price was up 2 percent in September, to $147,020, but it remained flat at $147,520 for the year, the report said.The Real Estate Center compiles its report from sales figures recorded by real estate agents on the Multiple Listing Service.Sandra Baker, 817-390-7727Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
