The pace of decline in Charlotte-area home sales and prices slowed in April.
The 1,773 houses, townhouses and condos sold last month was down 26 percent compared with April 2008, based on figures released this morning for transactions through the Carolina Multiple Listing Services. That breaks a six-month string of declines exceeding 30 percent and December's especially stark 47 percent drop.
Nationally, the housing market, while still down sharply from its peak, has shown signs of stabilizing, a step toward recovery.
Much of the regional gain came from a burst of sales in South Carolina's Lancaster County. Closings soared to 174, up from just 39 a year ago. The county includes Pulte Homes' Sun City Carolina Lakes, a huge active-adult community that has been relatively successful.
Mecklenburg County, which accounted for nearly half of MLS transactions, saw sales fall 37 percent from April 2008. That's an improvement over March, when sales were down 42 percent. Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties also saw steeper declines, while Cabarrus and Gaston fared better than the average.
The sales decline in York County, S.C., also was less than the region's average. S.C. results do not include all sales through another Realtors group in the area.
Overall, April sales were up compared with March, a typical uptick for the spring selling season.
The region's average selling price of $201,352 was down 9 percent compared with a year ago, but that was better than the previous three months' double-digit price declines.
Donna Anderson, president of the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association, which operates the MLS, said she and other agents have seen activity pick up. Last weekend, for example, she said she had multiple offers on a listing. Anderson, a Realtor with Cottingham-Chalk/Bissell-Hayes, also is negotiating a deal.
“As Realtors, we have to stay ahead of the curve rather than dwell on what it was last year or several years ago,” she said. The Charlotte market is “showing gradual, consistent and positive improvement.”
