Massachusetts home sales rise in January, prices fall

BOSTON – Single-family home sales in Massachusetts rose in January but their prices fell compared to the same month last year, two real estate tracking organizations said Tuesday.
The Massachusetts Association of Realtors and The Warren Group, which collect data differently, reported slightly different numbers. The Realtors said 2,147 homes sold last month, a 13.1 percent increase from last January. The Warren Group said 2,190 homes sold and reported a 5.2 percent rise.
The Warren Group said January sales volume for single-family homes in Massachusetts was the highest since January 2007, when there were 2,953 transactions.
“It’s promising to see the highest sales volume in four years in the state,” said Timothy M. Warren Jr., CEO of The Warren Group. “However, a little later in the year, positive comparisons with 2010 will be tougher to achieve. In the spring, we will be comparing current sales with sales volume during the height of the homebuyer tax credit.”
The Realtors pegged the median single-family home price at $284,500 last month, down 5.2 percent from the January prior. The Warren Group said the price stood at $270,000, down 6.9 percent.
In Bristol County, Mass., The Warren Group said sales rose to 161 in January from 157 the same month last year. The median price slid 17.4 percent to $199,000 from $240,900.