The number of homes sold in much of the Cape Fear region soared to an 11-year high in November, according to statistics released Monday.

N.C. Regional MLS data showed 663 homes were sold in New Hanover, Pender and northern Brunswick counties last month, a more than 44 percent increase over the same month in 2015, when 459 homes were sold, according to the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors. The latest figure is higher than November 2006 and the highest for the month of November since 2005 when 720 units sold.

The November number also represents the largest difference for any month this year compared to 2015.

As a result, the total dollars from November sales jumped by 54 percent, from about $109 million to nearly $168 million, the statistics show.

The November spike also pushes the total sold for the year to date, January through November, at more than 8,000 for the first time since 2005, a 19 percent increase over the same time period in 2015, according to WRAR's website. And the total dollars for the year passed $2 billion -- a first since 2006.

"It just shows you how vibrant the real estate market is," said Don Harris, president of WRAR and a broker with the Keith Beatty Team of Intracoastal Realty Corp. 

The median price in November rose 8 percent, from $200,500 to $216,900, while the average sales price increased by 6.7 percent.

"The rebound is continuing, and 2017 could be an even better year for our real estate market. Mortgage rates are creeping up but are still near historic lows," Harris said in a news release Monday.

 

November home sales in New Hanover, Pender, northern Brunswick

Units sold	Average sales price	Median sales price	Total dollars	Days on market	New listings
2015: 459	$237,243	$200,500	$108,894,590	104	690
2016: 663	$253,155	$216,900	$167,842,232	91	625
44.44%	6.71%	8.18%	54.13%	-12.5%	-9.42%

Source: Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors