October 2014
Settlements up as market gains steam Wicomico, Somerset post huge increases over 2013
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CAR sets candidates forums County, state candidates from Worcester, Wicomico face questions from public The Coastal Association of RealtorsŽ is partnering with two local newspapers to hold candidates’ forums in Wicomico and Worcester counties in October. On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Coastal Realtors and The Salisbury Independent will host a Wicomico County candidates’ forum from 7 to 9 p.m. at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury. The event will be moderated by Greg Bassett, editor of The Independent. The candidates participating in the Wicomico County forum are: • Adelaide Eckardt, District 37 Senate • Chris Robinson, District 37 Senate • Christopher Adams, District 37B
House of Delegates • Keasha Haythe, District 37B House of Delegates • Johnny Mautz, District 37B House of Delegates • Charles Otto, District 38A House of Delegates • Percy Purnell, District 38A House of Delegates • Carl Anderton, District 38B House of Delegates • Norm Conway, District 38B House of Delegates • Bob Culver, Wicomico County Executive • Rick Pollitt, Wicomico County Executive • John Cannon, Wicomico County Council At-Large • Matt Holloway, Wicomico County Council At-Large On Wednesday, Oct. 22, Coastal Realtors and Ocean City Today will host a Worcester County candidates’ forum from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ocean Pines Library.
The event will be moderated by Phil Jacobs, editor of Ocean City Today. The candidates participating in the Worcester County forum are: • Jim Mathias, District 38 Senate • Mike McDermott, District 38 Senate • Mary Beth Carozza, District 38C House of Delegates • Judy Davis, District 38C House of Delegates • Diana Purnell, Worcester County Commissioners District 2 • Bud Church, Worcester County Commissioners District 3 • Virgil Shockley, Worcester County Commissioners District 4 • Tom Wilson, Worcester County Commissioners District 5 These nonpartisan events are free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions for the candidates. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 410-6414409.
Fair housing poster contest invitations sent The Coastal Association of RealtorsÂŽ (CAR) is inviting teachers to participate in the annual Fair Housing Poster Contest, which sends the winning student to Annapolis for a meeting with the governor or other state official. Sponsored by the Maryland Associ-
ation of RealtorsŽ (MAR), the contest is a means for Realtors across the state to help increase awareness of this issue. “Fair housing� pertains to the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in the sale and rental of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or
handicap. The contest aims to teach children that discrimination is not only wrong, but illegal. Artwork submitted by students must illustrate this year’s calendar theme, “Everyone Wins With Fair Housing.� CAR will choose a winner Continued on page 12
The local housing market is slowly gaining momentum, as single family home settlements appear to be increasing in comparison to this time last year. According to the latest figures from the Coastal Association of REALTORSŽ, single family home settlements in August 2014, compared to August 2013, increased moder- Sheila Dodson ately in Wicomico Executive Director and Somerset counties, as well as Ocean City. Settlements were down by 11.4 percent in Worcester County. The figures also reflect an across-the-board jump on single family home sale prices compared to last month. In Wicomico County, the average sales price increased by 4.6 percent, Worcester by 10.4 percent, and Somerset by 8 percent. Just as they did in July, contracts, or pending single family home sales, increased in all three counties in August, pointing to even more settlements in the near future. Contracts for condominiums also increased in Wicomico and Worcester counties, as well as in Ocean City. According to the National Association of RealtorsŽ (NAR), national figures are reflective of this trend, as the Pending Home Sales Index climbed 3.3 percent to 105.9 in July from 102.5 in June. NAR’s figures for August have not yet been released. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, has attributed the increase to a larger housing inventory that creates less competition and gives prospective buyers more time to review their options before submitting an offer. However, that may not necessarily be the case in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, as new single family home and condominium listings were down in August in all three counties. “Overall, we attribute the increased contracts and settlements to the stabilizing of the local economy, which is steadily adding more jobs and giving families more confidence to enter the market,� said Sheila Dodson, executive director of Coastal Realtors Ž.