Housing heats up, prices cool down

Whitman County’s housing market saw an increase in home sales during the first quarter of 2011, but the sales were for lower prices.

The Washington Center for Real Estate Research at WSU released its quarterly report of the state housing market this week.

“Well, the market is picking up and it’s falling behind. It depends on what data you want to look at,” said Glenn Crellin, director of the center.

The report showed home sales picked up 23 percent from the first quarter of 2010. Sales total was 370 compared to 300. The median price, the point at which half sold for higher and half sold for le...