BR-area homes sales jump 21% in April

Market continues to improve

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCKA house in the Garden District bears a message Tuesday that it has been sold. Home sales in the eight-parish Baton Rouge area rose 21 percent in April from a year ago to 616 homes sold.

Baton Rouge-area homes sales rose 21 percent in April, with Realtors in the eight-parish region selling 616 homes compared with 510 that month a year ago.

Dollar volume rose 16 percent to $116.1 million, compared with $100.4 million in April 2011.

The figures were compiled by the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors. Sales were up in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston parishes, which make up the lion’s share of the market.

For the year through April, home sales are up 18 percent to 2,213, while dollar volume is up 16 percent to $409.9 million.

Home sales began posting healthy year-over-year gains last year, though that was initially because the 2010 numbers they were compared to had dropped very low after a popular first-time homebuyer tax credit ended.

But with every passing month, that downward pressure on the year-ago numbers has faded and local agents have said recent gains are a product of an increase in consumer confidence, drawing people off the sidelines to take advantage of low interest rates.

Most of the action is under $250,000, brokers have said.

Here’s a breakdown of area sales in April:

• In East Baton Rouge Parish, Realtors sold 347 homes, up 23 percent from 281. Dollar volume rose 13 percent to $69.6 million.

For the year so far, East Baton Rouge is up 17 percent to 1,186 homes sold and up 13 percent to $230.2 million in dollar volume.

• In Ascension Parish, Realtors sold 111 homes, up 23 percent from 90, while dollar volume rose 25 percent to $22.6 million in April.

For the year, Ascension is up 27 percent to 440 homes sold and up 25 percent to $87.5 million in dollar volume.

• In Livingston Parish, Realtors sold 108 homes, up 16 percent from 93, and dollar volume rose 23 percent to $16.4 million in April.

For the year, Livingston is up 11 percent to 388 homes sold and up 7 percent at $56.9 million in dollar volume.

• In West Baton Rouge, Iberville, East and West Feliciana and Pointe Coupee parishes, 50 homes were sold in the “other parishes” category, up from 46, and dollar volume was up 5 percent to $9 million in April.

For the year, the category is up 20 percent to 199 in homes sold and up 25 percent to $35.3 million in dollar volume.