The beginning of 2013 proved to be a solid month for the Birmingham metro real estate industry. According to reports by the Birmingham Association of Realtors, home sales in January were up 15 percent from January 2012. The exact sales volume is 686 homes over 594 last January. The Mobile movers have also learned that the average sales price is up from 2012, with current averages at $172,370, 7 percent over last year, and a 12 percent boost for the median sales price of $144,950.

Foreclosures still have a prominent role in home sales, and January was no exception. 207 homes (or 30 percent of total sales) were classified as foreclosure sales. The available inventory for the Birmingham metro market was down 8 percent over a year ago, with a total of 6,962 homes available for sale. The positive January figures follow suit with a great real estate trend for 2012, where home sales rose 10 percent. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the industry to report monthly reports as they become available.