ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995               TAG: 9512060002
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: D-1  EDITION: METRO 

HOME SALES UP IN OCTOBER

The number of pending home sales in the state was up in October from the same period last year, according to the home sales survey published by the Virginia Association of Realtors.

"October was a very strong month for home sales in the commonwealth," said the association president, Thomas N. Innes of Richmond. He said sales for the year so far are "just slightly behind last year's cumulative sales at this point."

Innes said all signs point to 1995 as another strong year for real estate activity, which he attributed to "a growing economy and greater stability in today's job market."

The report shows that sales for the month of October were up 8.64 percent compared to the same period last year as 4,942 new and existing homes were placed under contract compared to the prior October's figure of 4,549.

The first 10 months of the year showed a very slight decline over last year at 1.6 percent. The association said 53,989 single family homes were placed under contract compared to 54,866 for the same period of 1994.

The average sales price was $110,004, up from last year's $106,735. Houses were on the market an average of 97 days.

LENGTH: Short :   31 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  Chart by staff: Regional home sales.