Arkansas Business

Home sales in Arkansas rose by 11 percent in January, according to a report released Thursday by the Arkansas Realtors Association.

The report also said the average price of those homes sold declined by 2.6 percent. 

Click here (PDF) to access the full report.

The average price of the homes sold in the 43-county area surveyed by the association decreased from $148,428 in January 2012 to $144,471 in January 2013.

Statewide valuations in January rose by more than 8 percent from last year.

Home Sales

During the month, the biggest number of home sales in the survey area took place in Faulkner, Saline, Washington, Benton and Pulaski counties.

County by county, home sales looked like this:

• Faulkner, 97 home sold in January, up 102 percent from the same month last year.
• Saline, 88 homes sold, up 47 percent
• Washington, 157 homes sold, up 23 percent
• Benton, 223 homes sold, up 17 percent
• Pulaski, 238 homes sold, up 11 percent

In January, Benton County logged the highest average valuation for the month, $175,690, up nearly 85 percent from the same time last year. Pulaski County's average dropped 7 percent to $169,606. Washington County was down 24 percent to $154,488.

January's home sales boost followed a mixed picture for home sales in the final two months of 2012. In November, home sales rose 6 percent. In December, home sales fell 6 percent.