Skagit County home sales numbers

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- After a year of significantly fewer Skagit County home sales in 2023, the first quarter of 2024 started the same way, according to Peter Ahn, co-owner of Northwest Washington’s The Muljat Group.

Only 222 Skagit County homes sold in the first quarter, 17.5% fewer than last year and 41.3% lower than two years ago (378), according to a news release.

“With 30-year mortgage rates staying in the mid-6% range, fewer buyers can qualify for a loan,” Ahn said. “Also, fewer Skagit residents want to sell their homes because they don’t want to give up their lower mortgage rate obtained several years ago, resulting in a low inventory of homes for sale.”

However, enough people have the ability to buy now that prices continue to rise, according to Ahn, who prepared a report based on data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The median sales price of a Skagit County home in the first quarter rose 8.3% to $556,000.

The primary exception was Anacortes, which has led Skagit County in home sale prices for many years. The median home sales price in Anacortes dropped 12.3% in the first quarter to $680,000 and the number of homes sold there plunged 25.5% to 38.

Ahn said Mount Vernon appeared to have the strongest housing market with its median sales price rising 11.5% to $557,550 and its number of sales dropping only 2.4% to 80.