Pending home sales across the state rose 30 percent in April, the 25th month of increases out of the past 26, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR). The median price of accepted contracts was up to $327,000, from $319,250 in April 2014.

April single family pending sales rose to 3,096 compared with 2,406 in April 2014.

Condominium pending sales rose to 1,091 in April 2015, compared with 910 in April 2014, an increase of 19.9 percent.

“As far as buyers were concerned, the winter officially ended in April as the high number of accepted offers pushed the spring market up to full speed very quickly,” 2015 MAR President Corinne Fitzgerald, broker-owner of Fitzgerald Real Estate in Greenfield, said in a statement. “Hopefully this buyer enthusiasm will encourage homeowners to sell and home builders to build to meet current and future demand.”

The strong rise in accepted offers was mirrored by renewed confidence among agents, with MAR’s Realtor Market Confidence Index rising 23 percent compared to the same time last year, to 82.28 from 66.89 in April 2014. Realtors also felt prices would continue their rise, with the Realtor Price Confidence Index up 4 percent to 80.66 in April compared with 77.81 in April 2014.

April is the first month the confidence index has risen since March 2014, and the fifth time the index has been at 70 or above since August 2014.

Calling the increase in confidence, a “big change” Fitzgerald added in a statement that Realtors have seen “first-hand how buyers maintained their desire to purchase homes despite the record snow storms and frigid temperatures we had this winter.”

MAR: Mass. Pending Home Sales Climb Again, Agent’s Confidence Strong

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
0