November metro Milwaukee home sales rise 0.6 percent

November sales of existing homes in metropolitan Milwaukee rose 0.6 percent from a year ago, helping to keep the 2018 four-county housing market roughly even with 2017.

The Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors said Tuesday that 1,549 homes were sold in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties last month, or nine more than in November 2017.

Through the first 11 months of 2018, sales were down by 56 from the same time last year, at 19,346 total sales compared with 19,402. That's a decrease of 0.3 percent.

In November, sales slipped 1.3 percent in Milwaukee County to 858 from 869, and fell 3.2 percent in Washington County, to 152 from 157. But sales increased 4.6 percent in Washington County, to 433 from 414, and 6 percent in Ozaukee County, to 106 from 100, keeping November in positive territory over a year ago.

The monthly Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors didn't include price information, but a separate report by the Wisconsin Realtors Association shows the median November sale price rose in all but Ozaukee County.

In Milwaukee County, the median price was $159,900, or 13.5 percent higher than $140,900 in November 2017. In Waukesha County, the median price climbed 0.3 percent to $285,000 from $284,250. The median price was up 8 percent in Washington County, at $230,000 from $213,000, but fell 6.7 percent Ozaukee County, to $270,500 from $289,950.