SOUTH PORTLAND — Maine home values continue to rise in most counties, further illustrating a more stable real estate environment across the state.

According to Maine Listings, 1,335 single-family existing homes changed hands last month, leading to a 2.53 percent increase in sales overall. The median sales price (MSP) for those homes reached $185,000—a rise of 8.86 percent. The MSP indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less.

Nationally, sales were up 9.7 percent in the past 12 months. According to the National Association of Realtors, the national MSP increased 8.6 percent in May to $230,300. Sales in the regional Northeast jumped 11.3 percent while the regional MSP rose 4.8 percent to $269,000.

Traditionally, the summer market ushers in booming business for single-family existing home sales—which the current data confirms. Buyers hope to move and settle before school begins in the fall, and Realtors offer professional guidance to make that timeline happen. Marie Flaherty, 2015 President of the Maine Association of Realtors, said, “buyers today have access to more information than ever, but the market data needs to be properly interpreted and analyzed. A Realtor with extensive local knowledge helps buyers make educated decisions when submitting an offer on a property.”

Flaherty, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Westbrook, reminds buyers to visit mainerealtors.com to Find a Realtor . The site lists qualified, licensed Realtors by market area, and also includes a link to home listings through www.Realtor.com.

Below are two charts showing statistics for Maine and its 16 counties. The first chart lists statistics for the month of May only, statewide. The second chart compares the number of existing, single-family homes sold (units) and volume (MSP) during the “rolling quarter” the months of March 1, 2014 to May 31, 2014 and March 1, 2015 to May 31, 2015.

Maine Real Estate Statistics – May 2015 Housing Report—6/22/15—

MAY ONLY CHART

May 1-31, 2014 – May 1-31, 2015

County # Units Sold # Units Sold % MSP MSP %

2014 2015 Chng 2014 2015 Chng

STATEWIDE 1302 1335 2.53% $169,950 $185,000 8.86%

ROLLING QUARTER CHART

From March 1, 2014 – May 31, 2014 and

March 1, 2015 – May 31, 2015

County # Units Sold # Units Sold % MSP MSP %

2014 2015 Chng 2014 2015 Chng

STATEWIDE 3209 3317 3.37% $167,500 $177,500 5.97%

Androscoggin 221 225 1.81% $126,000 $129,500 2.78%

Aroostook 96 100 4.17% $78,500 $85,650 9.11%

Cumberland 788 927 17.64% $235,000 $239,000 1.70%

Franklin 74 63 -14.86% $126,000 $138,500 9.92%

Hancock 139 126 -9.35% $165,000 $179,500 8.79%

Kennebec 255 265 3.92% $145,000 $133,900 -7.66%

Knox 90 108 20.00% $167,738 $193,500 15.36%

Lincoln 111 86 -22.52% $180,000 $165,500 -8.06%

Oxford 130 140 7.69% $118,250 $124,950 5.67%

Penobscot 300 328 9.33% $118,750 $130,400 9.81%

Piscataquis 55 47 -14.55% $105,700 $99,500 -5.87%

Sagadahoc 104 93 -10.58% $161,500 $174,900 8.30%

Somerset 99 89 -10.10% $74,500 $72,500 -2.68%

Waldo 92 90 -2.17% $125,250 $128,488 2.58%

Washington 45 46 2.22% $85,000 $97,000 14.12%

York 610 584 -4.26% $206,500 $220,000 6.54%

Source: Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. (d/b/a Maine Listings). Note: Maine Listings, a subsidiary of the Maine Association of REALTORS, is a statewide Multiple Listing Service with over 4,200 licensees inputting active and sold property listing data. Statistics reflect properties reported as sold in the system within the time periods indicated.