Source: Bennington Banner, May13, 2011, by Keith Whitcomb Jr.
“BENNINGTON — Homes sales are picking up a little in this area, but they are nowhere near the level before the national housing bubble burst in 2009. “It seems like it’s picked up some,” said Bennington Town Clerk Timothy Corcoran. “Re-financing is starting to show some movement too, because rates are at a historic low.” He said the bulk of sales are of existing homes. Bennington puts property sales on its Website, but the site does not track property transfers, such as between relatives. “It just seems like we’ve turned a corner,” Corcoran said. Other town clerks had differing reports. “It’s very, very slow,” said Arlington Town Clerk Robin Wilcox. “It’s not picking up.” Things have been sluggish for the past three years, she said, with only a few brief surges here and there. Pownal Town Clerk Karen Burrington said things are slow in her town as well. “Like the rest of the country, our real estate is in a slump,” she said, adding that she recorded one sale in February, two in March, and two in April. Realtor Kathleen Hoisington said the last quarter of 2010 showed higher sales than the first quarter of this year. She said federal stimulus money providing breaks for first-time home buyers has largely dried up, and people who can afford mid-range homes are watching their money. She said some Realtors likely wouldn’t have survived if federal aid hadn’t been given to first-time home buyers…” Full Story: Area’s home sales starting to improve PDF of Story: Area’s home sales starting to improve Other Home ownership related news: Burlington Free Press – Vermont has fewer foreclosures than any other state