The inventory crunch is beginning to ease in many of the nation’s real estate markets, according to a new report from web-centric brokerage Redfin.  Active listings grew 6.4 percent between March and April and another 4.2 percent between April and May, the firm said, a switch from last year when inventory peaked in January and fell almost all year.

Redfin compiled the report using MLS data from 19 metropolitan areas that it serves across the country. Year-over-year, inventory is still down an average of 22 percent across all Redfin’s markets, with Boston being one of the tightest in the bunch, with inventory down 49 percent compared to May 2012 and down 1 percent compared to April 2013.

"Lots of homeowners want to sell," said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman in a statement. "And lots of people want to buy. The problem has just been agreeing on a price. Over the last 12 months, Redfin agents have talked to plenty of homeowners seeking to test the market at a very aggressive price, just so a sale would yield enough money to pay off the mortgage. Those consultations often ended with a decision to wait. What has changed in the last 60 days is that these owners are now listing, selling and even appraising at the price they’ve needed to get all along. People who bought near the peak in 2006 and 2007, only to get buried in the downturn under a mountain of debt, can now, for the first time in years, see daylight. And they’re running for it."

According to Redfin’s calculations, if the current rate of improvement continues, inventory will likely hit positive year-over-year growth before the end of the year. The reason for the turnaround is largely due to rising home prices, which are giving more sellers sufficient equity to sell, and enticing sellers who already had equity to enter the market as well, the firm said. As supply and demand come into balance, Redfin expects bidding wars to ease and home-price increases to moderate.