Stoneham Condo, Home Sales Up in 2011

While Massachusetts saw its lowest number of single-family home sales since 1990 this past year, Stoneham saw an uptick in 2011 compared to 2010, according to the latest data released by The Warren Group.

In 2011, 143 single-family homes were sold, a nearly six percent increase over the 135 that were sold in 2010. Statewide, sales dipped nearly six percent to 38,994, down from 41,389.

Meanwhile, condominiums sales in Stoneham also saw an increase in 2011 compared to the previous year, while the state saw the fewest number of condos sold since 1995. Sixty-one condos sold in Stoneham in 2011, representing a nearly nine percent increase over the 56 sold in 2010.

Stoneham and Massachusetts saw a decrease in home sales in December, reversing a five-month trend of year-over-year sales gains, according to The Warren Group. Stoneham saw 11 single-family homes sold in December 2011, representing a nearly nine percent drop from the 12 sold in December 2010, and Massachusetts sales dipped from five percent to 3,380, down from 3,558 in December 2010.

In a press statement, The Warren Group CEO Timothy M. Warren Jr. called the December decrease "disheartening" after the five-month trend of year-over-year sales gains.

"Granted, we are comparing sales to a strong December in 2010, as it was the best December since 2006," Warren said in the release.

Stoneham Median Home Prices Drop

The median sale price for a single-family home in Stoneham fell nearly 24 percent percent in December 2011 and dipped about 12.3 percent for the year, mirroring dropping sale prices statewide that Warren said—noting December's decline was the tenth drop in 2011—reflect a slow market.

The median sale price for a single-family home in Stoneham during 2011 was $352,500, compared to $402,000 in 2010. The statewide median price dropped more than three percent to $286,000 in 2011, falling from $295,000 in 2010.

In December, the median sale price in Stoneham was $290,000, down from $380,000 in December 2010, while the statewide median price dipped 4.2 percent to $267,250, down from $279,000 in December 2010.

Median home prices have remained below $300,000 since August, The Warren Group said in its release, with December's price the lowest median sales price recorded since February's $252,250 price mark.

Median Condo Prices in Stoneham Up in December; Down in 2011

Statewide condominium sales dropped about 16.2 percent to 15,122 from 18,048 in all of 2010, according to The Warren Group.

In December, five condos sold in Stoneham, which matched the number of condos sold in December 2010, and statewide sales fell 15.75 percent to 1,327 from 1,575 in December 2010.

The median sale price of a condo in Stoneham dipped slightly in 2011, from $203,000 in 2010 to $198,000 last year, representing nearly a 2.5 percent decrease. However, the December 2011 median sale price increased from $205,000 to $222,000, or about 8.3 percent.

The statewide median condo price saw a slight uptick of about two percent to $270,000 from $265,000 in 2010, according to The Warren Group.