Wanted: A Clear Trend in Home Sales

Home sales in New Hampshire remained about even with last year. About 200 more homes changed hands in 2011 than in 2010. Prices continued to slide. The median sales price was about $201,000, or about 6 percent less than the year before. The latest numbers from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors leave it unclear where the market is headed. There are some signs of improvement. Between November and December, prices held steady and at least from one month to the next, the number of homes sold rose by about 8 percent. A statement from the realtors association said the end of the year points to very slow improvement but no one is prepared to make any firm predictions for 2012. Many housing analysts say based on past downturns, another couple of years of sluggish performance are in store. Some of the fundamentals are moving in the right direction. Unemployment continues to drop and foreclosures while still historically high have eased slightly.