Local markets continue to see small growth

The Mid Florida Regional MLS reported that traditional home sales, as opposed to distressed sales, in Hillsborough County, Florida, have increased from 57 percent to 63 percent between March and June.

The Tampa area housing market continues to experience growth, despite other struggling state markets, as the total number of homes listed for sale has dropped from 6,412 to 5,281 between May and June.

However, President of Tampa's Home Encounter, Peter Murphy, told the St. Petersburg Times that the report is a glimmer of hope, but not a recovery until monthly sales reach 3,500, and 2,573 were reported in June.

Other smaller markets show signs of growth as well. According to the Des Moines Association of Realtors, the median price for sold homes in June in Des Moines, Iowa, returned to levels not seen since 2007, up $17,000 from May and $7,500 more than a year ago. Les Sulgrove told the Des Moines Register that home sales were up 15 percent from May to June, and pending sales were 40 percent higher than a year ago.

Leslie Griffin, managing broker at Prudential Tropical Realty in South Tampa, told the St. Petersburg Times that regions with more expensive houses have yet to experience the rise in home price.

"The lower end is stabilizing more and then it will trickle upward," Griffin said.  

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