For region, a deceptive rise in home sales - Albany Times Union

But the numbers released by the Greater Capital Association of Realtors come with a significant caveat: They're being compared to a year-ago period that followed the expiration of federal housing credits, when sales plummeted. Realtors In the 11-county region covered by GCAR, the number of closed home sales increased by nine percent. Albany County, where sales surged 18 percent, had a particularly large increase. Schenectady County, meanwhile, showed a slight -- one percent -- decline in closed sales. The median sale price in GCAR's territory declined slightly to $195,000 from $196,500 a year ago. The numbers do not include Greene and Columbia counties, which are not part of the association's territory. The National Association of Realtors on Thursday reported that for existing homes alone -- not including new construction -- the number of sales in July was 21 percent above the year-ago pace. The median sale price nationally was $174,400, down 4. Here's a county-by-county breakdown of the July numbers:• In Albany County, the number of closed sales increased from 153 a year ago to 181, while the median sale price dropped two percent to $210,000.