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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 30, 1993                   TAG: 9305310154
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: E-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

VA. HOME SALES MAKE STRONG SHOWING IN APRIL

Statewide home sales rose 9.1 percent last month, making April the best month this year for the Virginia residential real estate industry, according to a report released last week by the Virginia Association of Realtors.

The trade group said its members wrote contracts to sell 6,442 houses, up from 5,903 in April 1992.

For the first four months, however, sales are still lagging by 11.3 percent. The year-to-date total of 20,513 sales contracts compares with 23,135 in the January through April period of 1992.

"After a slow first quarter, caused by poor weather and economic uncertainity, we are beginning to see the release of the pent-up demand," said VAR president Edward E. Pagett of Alexandria. "I feel certain that we will continue to see increases throughout the summer if the economy improves."

Memo: ***CORRECTION***

by CNB