Buyer's Market?

For the fourth consecutive month, Thurston County home sales fell more than 20 percent on a year-over-year basis in March, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported today.

And while Thurston County homes prices largely have remained steady compared to other Western Washington counties, they rose a scant .01 percent in March from the same period last year, the data show.

In March, combined sales of single-family residences and condominiums fell 20.9 percent to 314 units from 397 units last March. Combined median prices increased .01 percent to $249,925 from $249,900, the listing service reported.

Total closed sales in March fell to 314, down from 397 for Thurston County in March 2007. New listings in March were also down, to 626 from 720 a year ago.