Though the number of house available for sale is the lowest in years, Huntsville residential sales for the first quarter of this year was nearly 15 percent higher than the first quarter of 2019.

The sales, according to the quarterly report from the Alabama Center for Real Estate, for the first quarter totaled 1,801 units, representing an increase of 14.9 percent when compared to 1,567 units sold in the first quarter of 2019.

“Compared to historical data, first quarter sales are 20.1 percent above the three-year quarterly average and 31.1 percent above the five-year quarterly average,” the report said.

The number of houses available for sale in the first quarter was 845 – a 32.5 percent decrease compared to the first quarter of 2019, when 1,252 houses were available.

And, not only did sales increase, so did the median and average prices – thanks to the low inventory.

The median selling price in Huntsville for the first quarter of 2020 was $233,688, a 12.2 percent increase from the first quarter of 2019’s median selling price of $208,333. The average sales price for the first quarter was $261,455, an 11 percent increase from the first quarter of 2019’s average sales price of $235,610.

“Compared to historical data, the fourth quarter median sales price is 21.1 percent above the three-year quarterly average and 28.3 percent above the five-year quarterly average,” the report said. “The fourth quarter average sales price is 20 percent above the three-year quarterly average and 26.4 percent above the five-year quarterly average.”

The houses that were available, weren’t on the market long, either. The average number of days on the market in the first quarter of 2020 was 40, representing an improvement of 15 days from one year ago.