| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010 5:53 am |
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
Business 
|
|||||||||
Pending home sales offer hope for local market Home sales and prices in Snohomish County continued to fall in March in comparison with a year ago, but real estate agents were given hope by a surge in pending sales, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.There were 485 homes sold in the county last month, a 41 percent drop from March 2008. Pending sales of 865 -- offers that were accepted, but not closed -- represented a 5 percent drop from a year ago, but it was the highest monthly total since last fall. "As expected, the numbers reflected in the March report continue to show year-over-year declines," said Ron Sparks of Tacoma, managing vice president of Coldwell Banker Bain. "However these historical comparisons fail to tell the story of the real-time market, which is beginning to show true signs of improvement in many areas." The listing service, which records sales in most of Western Washington, said pending sales surged by 25 percent in the region compared with February. Pending sales are typically higher in March than in February because of improving weather, but usually not by that much. Listings also fell by 16 percent in March, an indicator that buyers are starting to sell through some of the excess inventory. The combined median price for single-family homes and condominiums was $304,950, a nearly 9 percent drop from March 2008. That was a lower drop than in many other counties in the region. In Pierce County, the median price was $228,375, a drop of 11.6 percent. Kitsap County saw prices fall 11.2 percent. King County saw its median price drop 17.3 percent, hitting $335,000, or about a $30,000 drop from Snohomish County. In recent years, home prices in King County were about $50,000 higher than in Snohomish County, pushing many buyers north to purchase a home. In Island County, prices fell only 4.4 percent, to a median of $248,500. Median means half the homes sold for more and half sold for less. Pending sales there were up by 16.5 percent and closed sales fell about 11 percent. |
- A revolutionary 747
- Fire breaks out at Everett car dealer
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last
- Boeing's 747-8 takes off after weather delay
- Plan for I-5 closures this week
- A new bowling alley for Monroe?
- Lake Stevens man homeless after fire
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged
- Vote on school levies by Tuesday
(9) - A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood (7)
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries (6)
- Toyota has powerful D.C. friends (5)
- Everett police officers cleared in 2008 shooting death (5)
- 1949 travel aid shows how few places blacks were welcome in Washington (4)
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged (3)
- Cigarette causes life-threatening burns (2)
- ORCA a whale of an improvement for Community Transit (2)
- Large part from 747 falls outside Miami mall; no one hurt (2)
- Edmonds educator, famous announcer dies
- Mill Creek to appeal ruling on annexation
- Through the air, with the greatest of ease
- E-W thriving under new coach
- The path to citizenship
- EUUC puts on ‘Pants & Shoes’
- Wolfpack wins the ‘Battle'
- Lynnwood’s annexation plans OK’d
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
|
 
|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S TOP JOBS |
| View All Top Jobs |
| Top Cars |
|
| Top Homes |
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|Contact Us
|Advertiser Services
|Home Delivery
|Newsstand Locations
|Classifieds
|Feedback
|About the Company
|Work@the Herald
|Site Map |
|
COMMENTS | Be the first to comment
Log in or register to post a new comment.
To read other terms and conditions, click here