Home sale prices up from 2010 but down from 2009

The housing market in Newton saw a slight uptick in both the number of homes sold and the average sales price in 2011, although both those figures remained down from 2009.

In Newton, 189 homes sold in 2011, compared to 187 in 2010 and 255 in 2009. The average sales price rose to $91,894, ahead of the 2010 average price of $87,227 but remains below the average price of $95,801 in 2009. Homes tended to stay on the market longer in 2011, averaging 145 days — up from 96 days in 2010 and 118 days in 2009.

Newton Board of Realtors President Krista Clark called the year end statistics “very encouraging,” especially in light of seeing several key numbers start to trend back up.

“The numbers, as well as increased activity, indicate that the real estate market is slowly but steadily improving, which I expect to continue through 2012,” she said. “Home sales were up a respectable 1.1 percent from 2010, with the average sales price increasing by 5.1 percent. There were 136 active listings at the end of Dec. 2011, down from 192 at the end of Dec. 2010, and the lowest since December 2007 with 135.”

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Information provided does not include multi-family listings but does include single family homes, condo and townhouses. Information may include properties outside the Newton city limits that have Newton mailing addresses. No private sales are included.