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Real estate agents report 54 home sales in November

Friday, December 5, 2008 6:24 PM PST

By Erik Olson

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Cowlitz County home sales sagged by more than 30 percent in November, but the county’s median housing price remained steady.

Real estate agents sold 54 homes in Cowlitz County in November, down from the 82 sold the previous year according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which released its monthly report Thursday. Agents sold 70 homes in October.

The November median price — $185,000 — is slightly above the $182,500 median price of a year ago.

Inventory also continued its steady drop over the second half of the year to 701 homes, down from 751 houses on the market in November 2007.

“That’s a real positive sign,” said Bob Lund, owner broker of Century 21 R.E. Lund Realty in Longview.

Buyers are likely pulling their homes out of glutted market if they don’t need to sell right away, Lund said.

The real-estate market tends to slow during the winter months, then pick back up as the weather grows warmer.

Cowlitz was one of six counties with a year-to-year increase in the median price among the 19 surveyed by the listing service. Island, Okanogan, Pacific, San Juan and Skagit counties were the other five.

Statewide, home prices fell 9.5 percent from last year, according to NWMLS.

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slanteyes wrote on Dec 5, 2008 8:05 AM:

" I wonder if our taxes will go down any time soon? "

Lucky7 wrote on Dec 5, 2008 9:11 AM:

" I think the Cowlitz County should have to buy your home if it sits on the market for over 6 months at or below the tax assessed value, and they should have to pay the tax assessed value. I would gladly sell my home today for the recently re-assessed value of my home that went up over 40% for 2009! I'll be paying a bit over $4,000 in property tax next year which is a huge increase. For the non mathematicians that's about $333 a month just for tax, which is more than any homeowner should have to pay for their families primary residence. Oh their "board of equilization" is a joke too. They, pretty much are a counsiling service to explain that your property really is worth what the assessor says but they'll give you a tiny decrease just because they're good people and understand your concerns. Cowlitz County knew where the economy was headed and are trying to make up the differance by taxing us to death on our homes. What the braintrust in Cowlitz County governent doesn't realize is that many people just won't be able to afford their increases and will lose their homes, thereby puting more homes on the market and further deflating values, but hey they got it figured out if they can't raise the valuation next year they'll just raise the rates! A bunch of thieves in my opinion! "

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