Enid’s real estate market continues on a positive trend with home values increasing, although figures show sales declined for the first quarter of 2008.

Enid’s numbers reflect a statewide trend of increasing values but fewer sales. Oklahoma’s increasing values, however, buck the national trend, in which home prices fell 7.7 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period a year ago. Local Realtors consider the market solid and encouraging for people who are selling their homes.

Enid Metro Association of Realtors released first-quarter figures showing housing values increased 15.62 percent, while the number of homes sold decreased 7 percent over the previous year. The average cost of a home sold in the first quarter of 2008 was $115,685 versus $100,060 in the first quarter of 2007.

Enid real estate professionals are participating in a statewide campaign promoting a strong real estate market in Oklahoma at a time when national home values and sales are declining.

In 2007, home values increased by more than 3 percent over the previous year. In 2007, the average sale price of a home sold was $104,217.

In the first quarter of 2008, 211 homes sold in Enid compared to 227 homes sold in the first quarter last year.

“As the numbers clearly show, the Enid real estate market is not only solid it’s increasing in value,” said Kurt Young, president of Enid Association of Realtors.

Oklahoma real estate professionals are promoting a “Good Thing You’re in Oklahoma” campaign, which was launched in March. They are hoping the new statewide publicity campaign will counter the negative national news regarding home sales and the sub-prime mortgage crisis. The “Good Thing You’re in Oklahoma” campaign was devised after research showed a large number of Oklahomans have a negative view about the real estate market. The numbers show Oklahoma is not seeing the wide ups and downs in real estate values but steadily increasing values.

Enid Realtors have localized the statewide campaign into a “Good Thing You’re in Enid” push, with newspaper advertising and signs. The campaign is marketed to Enid residents and surrounding areas and to prospective homebuyers.

“The Enid Association would like everyone in our area to understand that despite what is happening in the rest of the country, and the negativity being reported by the national media, Enid real estate is growing,” Young said.

Tammy McCuellar, president of Oklahoma Association of Realtors, agrees Oklahoma’s home values are encouraging.

“In almost every market across the state, home values remain steady or are increasing, which clearly shows that despite the first-quarter dips in home sales, Oklahoma’s real estate market is solid,” said McCuellar, of Eufaula.