Capital Region home sales down 13% for first half of year

Through the first half of the year, the number of homes sold in the Capital Region is down 13% when compared with the first six months of 2010. There were 3,107 homes sold as of June, according to figures from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service. That compares with 3,586 MLS sales for the first half of 2010. The average sale price was $193,294 for the first half of 2010, virtually unchanged from the $192,274 average in the first half of this year. Sales were down 11% in East Baton Rouge Parish, from 1,923 in 2010 to 1,703 this year. The average sale price was $204,767, compared with $206,009 in 2011. Livingston Parish had a 17.5% sales drop from 2010, going from 661 MLS sales in the first half of the year to 545. The average sale price in Livingston also fell, going from $161,822 in 2010 to $154,053. Ascension Parish had the biggest drop in home sales, falling 21% from 749 in 2010 to 589. The average sale price was slightly unchanged, falling from $198,438 to $197,595. And in the other category, which includes the Felicianas, West Baton Rouge and Iberville Parishes, MLS sales actually went up 7% in 2011, going from 253 in 2010 to 270 this year. The sale price was down slightly from $173,082 to $171,183. For the rest of Real Estate Weekly, click here.