FEBRUARY GOOD MONTH FOR VALLEY HOME SALES

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

DATE: SUNDAY, April 18, 1993                   TAG: 9304190264
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
FEBRUARY GOOD MONTH FOR VALLEY HOME SALES
The Roanoke Valley was one of only four regions of the state where home sales rose in February, according to a report released last week by the Virginia Association of Realtors.
The valley's 5.2 percent gain contrasted with a 24.3 percent decline statewide, the real estate trade organization said. During the month 4,358 homes were placed under contract, compared with 5,758 statewide in February 1992.
The other Virginia realty markets reporting February gains were the Winchester-Front Royal area, Danville and Portsmouth-Chesapeake.
The overall decline suggests "consumers are waiting to see what will happen with the Clinton administration's economic package," said VAR president Edward E. Pagett. Despite low mortgage interest rates, "a late spring and consumer uncertainity over the economy has held down first-quarter results," he said.
"There are, however, significant increases in people visiting open houses and looking to buy," indicating that sales should rise in the second quarter, Pagett said.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB