Metro Atlanta home sales fall but prices rise
Fewer metro Atlanta houses were sold in January than the year before and the month before — the result of cold weather and supply that remains low.
But the median price of purchased homes rose, another result of low inventory and an indication that fewer distressed houses are on the market.
Home sales were down 10.6 percent in January from January 2013, according to data for an 11-county region from the Atlanta Board of Realtors. They dropped 30 percent from December, largely because cold weather and snow kept people from looking at houses.
The median sales price for January was $180,000, up 22.4 percent from the year before.
Todd Emerson, president of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, said he expects sales to improve as the spring season gets closer. Already, real estate agents said, the warm weather of the past week has led to increased sales.
About the Author
Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.
