Local agents report busy August sales activity

Brokers affiliated with the Northwest Multiple Listing Service closed 5,704 sales in August, up more than 35 percent from the same month a year ago.

Through eight months, this year’s completed transactions have outgained last year by 592 sales (36,918 versus 36,326, for an increase of more than 1.6 percent).

“For the first time in a long time, I can say with confidence that things feel better,” said OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate.

Approximately, 7,632 pending sales (mutually accepted offers) were reported during August, a gain of more than 26 percent from the same month a year ago. Thirteen counties had double-digit gains in pending sales from a year ago, led by Snohomish County where pending sales jumped more than 46 percent.

Selling prices are still below year-ago levels. Area-wide, the median price for last month’s completed sales was $236,000, about 12.4 percent less than twelve months ago. Year-to-date through August, prices for sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) are down about 9.4 percent.

In King County, last month’s median selling price was $315,000, down nearly 9.9 percent from a year ago. A year-to-date price comparison shows a decline of approximately 8.4 percent.

The Northwest Multiple includes more than 22,000 real estate salespersons in 21 Washington counties.