Good news for the Birmingham metro real estate market: residential sales for Birmingham increased in February by 22.8 percent over January sales. The data comes from the Alabama Center for Real Estate, who released its monthly report on residential sales in the metro area recently, noting a 0.5 percent increase over February 2013 and an 11.5 percent increase over the five-year average from 2009-2013. Moving to Birmingham has grown in popularity, according to the data from this report.

Birmingham out-performed the five-year average by nearly 3 percent. Sales totaled 780 for the month, ahead of 635 for January and 776 a year ago. So what about price? The median sales price was recorded at $154,750, which is up from January’s $141,000 and last February’s $142,950. February’s numbers represent a 9.8 percent increase in sales prices compared to January and 8.3 percent compared to last February.

Supply and demand is tightening in the area, as currently there are 4.3 percent less available properties for sale.