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

DATE: SUNDAY, March 20, 1994                   TAG: 9403210197
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: E-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

STATE HOMES SALES RISE

Home sales rose 13.5 percent last month, according to a report last week by the Virginia Association of Realtors. The trade group said its members wrote sales contracts for 4,946 houses, compared with 4,358 sales that were pending in February 1993.

In the first two months of this year, the group reported 9,032 sales, or a 6.5 percent gain over 8,482 sales through February last year.

"Even though it's still early in the year, the indicators are strong that we are achieving the right mix of positive factors," said Edwin Hall, a Roanoke commercial realty broker and president of the Realtors' group.

"The economy is showing excellent signs of improvement, along with consumer confidence, interest rates and employment."

by CNB