Mass. Realtors express growing optimism

WALTHAM, Mass. – For the fourth consecutive month, Bay State Realtors showed a rise in optimism about the real estate market.
The Massachusetts Association of Realtors said this week that its market index rose to 32.09 last month, up from 28.06 in February. Measured on a 100-point scale, the Realtors consider a score of 50 the midpoint between a “strong” and a “weak” market.
While Realtors showed increasing confidence about the market, their levels of optimism in March lagged from a year ago when the index stood at 40 and the federal homebuyers tax credit was still in play.
Realtors in March displayed little change in their predictions about prices. In March, the association’s price index rose to 48.69 from 46.96 a month earlier. The index was down from 53.15 a year ago. &#8226