Area home sales up 7.2% in June

Business

Markets choppy ahead of Bernanke testimony

LONDON (AP) — Markets were fairly choppy Tuesday as investors were reluctant to push stock indexes up further ahead of a much-anticipated statement from U.S.Today 7:09 am

Grain futures mixed, livestock prices rise

CHICAGO (AP) — Grains futures were mixed Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade.Wheat for July delivery rose 2 cents to $6.8525 a bushel; July corn fell 3.25 cents to $6.Today 7:07 am

Oil price falls toward $96 per barrel

BANGKOK (AP) — The price of oil retreated toward $96 per barrel Tuesday as investors waited for the Federal Reserve's latest views on the U.S.Today 7:04 am

Area home sales were up 7.2 percent in June, compared to the same month a year ago, and year-to-date figures show a market on the rebound.

The Upstate Alliance of Realtors late Monday afternoon said 654 home sales closed last month, up from 610 in June last year. In June 2010, 714 homes sold, the alliance said in its Housing Market Report.

Upstate tracks data from Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Wells and Whitley counties.

Year-to-date through June, 3,036 homes have been sold, up 11.4 percent from 2,726 in the same six months of last year.

“The market is robust and on track to be a strong summer for home sales,” Tug Pierson, president of the Upstate Alliance Multiple Listing, said in a statement. “Sellers can be encouraged by the continued increase in median sales price and the reduction in inventory. Buyers are still finding great value opportunities and low interest rates, however, beware that we are seeing more multiple offers for choice properties than in the last 15 years.”

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s print edition of The Journal Gazette or visit www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Tuesday.