SEPTEMBER 2015
Eight earn honors at ceremony
Recognized during the Coastal Association of Realtors’ annual awards ceremony, from left, are Mike Ciorrocco of Universal Mortgage & Finance, Rhonda Evans of ERA Martin & Associates, Edie Brennan of RE/MAX Crossroads, Vicki Harmon of Coldwell Banker, Marlene Ott of RE/MAX Crossroads, Brandon Johnson of ERA Martin & Associates and Paul Faulstich of Century 21 New Horizon. Not pictured: Dean Richardson.
Settlements in July, pending sales up Third quarter begins with signs of continuing growth in Lower Shore market
Local Realtors kicked off the third quarter of 2015 with continued increases in pending sales and settlements, according to the latest figures from the Coastal Association of Realtors. CAR’s local housing statistics for July 2015 show settlements of existing homes in the Tri-County area were up overall by 11.5 percent compared to the same month last year. Single-family homes in Worcester County saw the most impressive jump of 51.1 percent. Wicomico County single-family homes were also up by 6.5 percent. Contracts, or pending sales, also were up, showing an overall 12.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year. Condominiums in Wicomico County saw the highest jump of 57.1
percent, while single family homes in Wicomico saw an increase of 30.9 percent and condominiums in Worcester saw an increase of 18.7 percent. Listings of existing homes were up 12.6 percent, with the largest increase of single-family homes in Somerset County at 28.6 percent. Figures were largely down for Somerset County in July, with single-family home settlements down 35.7 percent and pending sales down 32 percent. “Overall, we’ve so far had a very good summer on the shore,” said Vicki Harmon, president of the CAR board of directors. “We are confident the trend will continue as we approach fall.” The overall number of days that existing homes are spending on the market was down by 24.1 percent, which shows that homes are being sold faster. Listing prices were up 4.9 percent and sales prices were up 5.5 percent. See SALES Page 8
In recognition of their hard work to uphold the highest of industry standards, eight local real estate professionals were honored during the Coastal Association of Realtors (CAR) 2015 annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, at the Ocean City Marlin Club. Edie Brennan, a Realtor for RE/MAX Crossroads in Ocean Pines, received this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her extensive work in the local real estate industry, as well as her numerous civic and charitable contributions to her community. A Realtor for more than 35 years, Brennan has been very active in her local real estate association, serving in top leadership positions in the 1980s and also on various CAR committees. She is also very active with the Women’s Council of Realtors and regularly attends National and Maryland AssoSee REALTOR Page 16