The average number of homes sold in Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus counties rose nearly 17 percent in the third quarter of this year, according to Brunswick County Association of Realtors statistics.

Average sale prices were up 5.5 percent from the same period in 2014, and total sales increased 23.2 percent, from nearly $52 million to almost $64 million, a news release stated. 

“Sales continue to increase in the three counties over the previous year,” said BCAR CEO Cynthia Cumbie. “The last four months showed the highest number of sales during the year. The local real estate market has been moving in a positive direction this year, and these latest statistics underscore the uptick we have observed in Brunswick and surrounding counties since January.”

September was another good month for Realtors in the tri-county area covered by the BCAR's MLS. The average number of units sold in the three counties increased 24.1 percent between September 2014 and September 2015, Cumbie reported, from $48.8 million to $63.6 million.
 
In Brunswick County alone, the number of units sold increased from 211 in September 2014 to 241 this September, while the average sales price increased from $229,529 to $245,384, and the total sales going from $48.4 million to $59.13 million. 
 
Lot sales in Brunswick County saw a decrease over last year, Cumbie reported, dropping 18 percent between September 2014 and September 2015, and total sales decreasing 20.6 percent, from $8 million to $6.4 million.
 
“This is another indication that buyers and potential buyers are looking to buy homes and settle down in Southeastern North Carolina,” Cumbie said.

Overall this year, the number of houses sold in just Brunswick County has increased 49 percent since last year, said Jim Goodman, 2016 president of BCAR and vice president of sales for Margaret Rudd Realty.  

"That market is basically people coming down from the North. You have an aging population in the United States, and they're finally able to leave their homes in the north, sell them . . .and move to the South where there's lower taxes and a better climate," Goodman said, pointing out the widely reported statistic that every day 10,000 more people are turning 65.

"And I don't see it stopping any time soon," he said.
 

Brunswick County single-family September home sales stats

Listings	Units sold	Avg. sale price	Total volume	Lots sold	Avg. lot sale price
2014: 334	211	$229,529	$48,430,616	94	$86,163
2015: 322	241	$245,384	$59,137,573	77	$83,514
-3.6%	14.2%	6.3%	22.1%	-18.1%	-20.6%