There were 191 houses sold in Cherokee County last month, according to the First Multiple Listing Service, a data services provider for real estate professionals. The total could increase as not all numbers are reported right away.
Sales are down from 252 in July and from 210 sold in the county in August last year. So far this year, 1,512 house sales have been reported in Cherokee, down from 1,728 at this time last year.
There were 547 new listings on the market in August, down from 603 in July and 636 in August last year. This year so far, 4,703 new listings have gone on the market, down from 5,886 at this time last year.
The average sale price of a house in the county was $217,816 in August, down from $231,317 in July and $220,506 in August last year.
Tom O'Rourke, executive for the Cherokee Association of Realtors, said August traditionally is a slow sales month because of the start of school.
He said local Realtors are busy contacting their congressmen about extending the $8,000 first-time homebuyer federal tax credit, which expires at the end of November.
"We feel very strong that is one of the reasons why we are seeing a recovery," he said of the credit.
Terry Moore of Georgia Prudential Realty in Woodstock and president-elect of the Realtors' association, said house sale activity is recovering.
"Our sales have been stable. We have not seen a drop," she said. "July, August and September have been really good. We are seeing an extended summer. I am pleased with where the market is."
Keri Campbell, a Realtor with Georgia Prudential Realty in Canton, said one obstacle real estate professionals are running into right now is appraisals, which sometimes come in lower than the sales price.
"Deals are falling through because of appraisals," she said, adding she encourages people to seek an appraisal before their home goes on the market.
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