The number of single-family homes put under agreement statewide in January was up 8 percent over the same time last year, while condominiums were up 10 percent, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR).

January marks the seventh straight month the number of both single-family homes and condominiums put under agreement increased over the year before, according to MAR.

"The Massachusetts real estate market continues to move in a positive direction and is slowly making its way back to more normal levels," 2010 MAR President Kevin Sears, broker/co-owner of Sears Real Estate in Springfield, said in a statement. "As indicated by the seventh straight month of pending sales increases, there are buyers who not only feel it is a good time to buy, but who are also going the next step and actually making offers."

The number of single-family homes put under agreement in January was up 8 percent compared to the same time last year (2,576 homes in 2009 to 2,791 homes in 2010). On a month-to-month basis, single-family homes put under agreement were up 1.7 percent from 2,743 homes in December.

The number of condos put under agreement in January was up 10 percent compared to January 2009 (1,059 units in 2009 to 1,194 units in 2010). On a month-to-month basis, condos put under agreement were down 4.4 percent from 1,249 units in December.