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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 6, 1993                   TAG: 9304060184
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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ROANOKE VALLEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Home sales in the Roanoke Valley continued their rise in March. The number of houses under contract was up 23 percent from February, but 6 percent less than a year earlier.

The Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors said 370 homes were put under contract and 217 contracts were closed during March.

"Even the blizzard didn't seem to have much of an effect on home sales. March marks the third month in a row we've seen an increase in sales," said Anne Lee Stevens, association president.

She attributed the strong numbers to the local economy, low interest rates and a good housing inventory.

The median price of the homes sold last month was $83,500, up 4.4 percent from 1992.

There were 240 sales for less than $100,000, 114 in the $100,000-to-$200,000 range, 11 in the $200,000-to-$300,000 range and five for more than $300,000. - Staff report

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