(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - New home sales numbers show that 2012 was more active than 2011 in southeast Indiana real estate.

The Indiana Association of Realtors released their December 2012 monthly report on Monday. It reflects an entire year’s worth of single family home, condominium, and townhome selling and buying activity across the state.

Ripley County’s housing market really bounced back last year, according to the report. Home sales increased 28 percent to 192 properties changing hands in 2012, compared to 150 homes sold in the county during 2011. The median selling price improved by 6.0 percent to $116,000.

In neighboring Dearborn County there were 440 home sales last year, an increase of 12.5 percent from 2011. However, the median selling price was down by 2.2 percent to $129,000.

Ohio County’s home sales were stagnant in 2012 with 35 sales just as many as there were in 2011, but selling prices there soared. Out of Indiana’s 92 counties, Ohio County had the third largest percentage improvement in median selling price. The 2012 median of $125,000 was a 42.5 percent increase from $87,750 in 2011.

The story in Switzerland County was similar. Fifty homes sold over the course of the year was exactly even with 2011. The median price increased 27.5 percent to $95,000.

Franklin County’s 2012 was arguably worse than 2011 from a home seller’s standpoint. There were 20 home sales last year, just one better than the year before. The biggest hit came in the median price, which declined 27.3 percent to $72,750.

Overall, Indiana’s housing market is doing well. Statewide sales increased by nearly 15 percent while median prices were up 4.5 percent.

“Housing markets in Indiana have decidedly turned the corner away from the worst of the recession,” said Karl Berron, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Association of Realtors. “Statewide, market activity and home prices were better each month of 2012 than the year before, and the year as a whole was better than the last two years. But the biggest story of this report is that homes have not only held their value, but also made price gains to levels not seen since the recession began.

“Realtors have every reason to believe that buyer demand will maintain the momentum throughout 2013,” continued Berron. “Continued economic growth and cheap borrowing costs will insure it.”

More home sales numbers for southeast Indiana can be seen below.

Data source: Indiana Association of Realtors