In Ohio, sales of new and existing houses and condominiums were 23 percent fewer in February 2009 than they were in February 2008. The average sale price over the last year fell nearly 19 percent to about $107,000.
Carl Horst: Certainly that's alarming, but it's no cause for panic.
Carl Horst is a spokesman for the Ohio Association of Realtors. He says the numbers aren't a surprise given the ongoing turmoil in the nation's economy.
Carl Horst: We're hopeful that prices will begin to regroup but for the time being it's a great opportunity for would-be buyers.
Horst points to very low interest rates, low home prices and a new homebuyer tax credit as potential draws for customers. The National Association of Realtors says home sales in Ohio - and across the country - did go up slightly between January and February of this year. But these days good news always seems relative. Sales numbers between January and February nearly always go up slightly as the spring buying season picks up steam. And in Ohio, that jump in sales is actually smaller this year compared to 2008.