It’s once again time to step back into the Way Back Machine to take a gander at what the Knoxville real estate market was up to in the month that was. This month we’re heading all the way back to 2009 to see if Santa left candy or coal for us in the December Home Sales Report numbers from the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors. You know, the KAAR.

November was a super strong month for the Knoxville market, largely thanks to the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and possibly partly due to the new move-up buyer tax credit. But was December – notoriously one of the slowest times of year in the biz – able to keep up that momentum?

Well, that’s probably what you came here to find out, right? So join me while I  break down the October 2009 Home Sales Report, the only way I know how: AAKT style. Holla!

And looky here – there’s all kinds of good news to start things off with!

Average sales price for 3 BR homes is (slightly) up.
Dec  ’08 – $147,200
Dec  ’09 – $149,400

Average sales price for 4 BR+ homes is up.
Dec  ’08 – $262,500
Dec  ’09 – $277,400

Median sales price for 4+ BR homes is (slightly)  up.
Dec  ’08 – $220,000
Dec ‘09 – $223,800

Average condo sales price is up.
Dec  ’08 – $160,200
Dec  ’09 – $169,500

Median condo sales price is (slightly) up.
Dec  ’08 – $149,000
Dec  ’09 – $150,000

Median sales price for 2 or less BR homes is down.
Dec  ’08 – $77, 500
Dec  ’09 – $72,600

Median sales price for 3 BR homes is (slightly) down.

Dec  ’08 – $132,000

Dec  ’09 – $129,000

—

Days on market is up.

…while FHA loans were still  up over last year.
Dec  ’08 – 139
Dec  ’09 – 159

And here’s the “Hope springs eternal with home sellers, but condo owners? Not so much” news-

The number of new residential listings was (slightly) up ...
Dec  ’08 – 1,505
Dec  ’09 – 1,552

…while  the number of new condo listings was (slightly) down.
Dec  ’08 – 193
Dec  ’09 – 172

And finally, there’s the “Finally! Now we can start getting some of these babies sold!” news-

1. Knoxville residential and condo sales are (for now) continuing their climb back to normality. Don’t call it a comeback.
2. That $8000 tax credit continues to boost sales, if not prices, of smaller homes.
3. It’s very possible that the move-up tax credit was also responsible for some sales, and maybe even responsible for the slight increase in larger home sales prices.
4. Hmmm… is that some sort of correlation between lowered listing prices and increased closed sales that I see? Hmmm…
5. Borrowers are still enjoying t FHA’s 3.5% down payment party and 6% seller paid closing costs carnival while they last.
6. Remember where we were this time last year? Geesh. How could 2010 not be better than that?

If you’re interested in looking at both reports yourself, here is ‘08 and here is ‘09. Enjoy and please feel free to share your thoughts and observations.