The number of home sales in January rose on Hawaii island and fell on Kauai, while median sale prices rose in both markets, according to a report released Tuesday.
The sales volume changes included some double-digit gains and losses but varied by no more than eight homes compared with the same month last year, the report from Hawaii Information Service shows.
Single-family homes on Hawaii island represented the biggest market in the report, with 105 sales last month. That volume was up 8 percent from 97 sales a year earlier.
Condominium sales on the Big Isle rose 16 percent to 44 from 38 in the same period.
On Kauai, single-family home sales fell by two units to 28 last month from 30 a year earlier. There were 15 condo sales, down 29 percent from 21 sales in the same period.
Median prices rose the most for Hawaii island single-family homes, producing a 15 percent gain to $265,000 last month from $231,000 a year earlier. The condo price rose 12 percent to $205,006 from $182,500.
Kauai median sale prices rose 11 percent — to $447,500 from $402,500 for single-family homes, and to $300,000 from $270,000 for condos.
Because of the relatively small volume of sales in the two neighbor island markets, not much meaning can be attached to the changes in median prices, which are affected by the size, quality, location and age of homes.
The median price is a point at which half the sales are at a higher price and half are at a lower price.
