Sales of existing homes rose in the U.S. last month, but fell in central Ohio and statewide.Alison Holm reports.
The National Association of Realtors says existing U.S. home sales rose by 1 percent in December from November, to an annual rate of 4.87 million units. However, both months represented a slower pace than earlier in 2013, reflecting a drag from higher mortgage rates and higher home prices. The Ohio Association of Realtors says December existing home sales statewide fell by more than 2 percent from November, with more than 93 hundred properties changing hands. The Columbus Realtors trade association says December existing home sales in its 20 county region fell by more than 4 percent, with more than 17 hundred homes changing hands. The median sale price for an Ohio home rose last month over November by 34 hundred dollars to nearly 140-thousand. In Central Ohio, the median sale price rose by 38 thousand to more than 176 thousand dollars. Nationally, the median sale price rose 11.5 percent last year to 197 thousand 100 dollars for all of 2013, the highest level in eight years.