Median Home Price Increased Slightly...

...while Polk County Sales Dip In April.

This was the heading of the most recent article in the local paper ( http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070526/NEWS/705260365/1178)Existing home sales fell again in April, though Polk County's median home price was able to manage a slight gain.

In Polk County, FL, there were a total of 348 homes sold last month, this was a drom of 35 percent from 535 in April 2006, according to the Mid-Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service.

Lakeland's 207 homes marked a decrease of 34 percent from the previous year's 314, while East Polk's 137 homes showed a similar decline, falling 35 percent from 211 last year.

Bartow had four homes sold in April, compared to 10 a year ago.

Florida had 12,016 homes sold last month, down 26 percent from last year's 16,283.


The Ledger's home sales figures include existing duplexes, condos, co-ops, manufactured and mobile homes, modular, single-family and townhomes, as well as new home sales by Realtors.

Nationally, 5.99 million homes were sold in April, down 10.7 percent from 6.71 million a year ago.

According to Chief Economist of the National Association of Realtors, Lawrence Yun, the anticipation is for a slower home sales because many subprime loan products are no longer available.

Polk's median home price was $172,400 in April, up 1 percent from the prior year. At the same time, Florida's median home price fell 3 percent to $237,800, and the national median dipped 0.8 percent to $220,900.