(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Association of Realtors reports a nearly six percent increase in the number of homes sold in September compared to the same month a year ago. The president of the Iowa Association of Realtors says even though the interest rate on a 30-year mortgage is actually higher than it was a year ago, buyer confidence appears higher due to five straight months of rate reductions, a slower rise in home prices and a continued increase in inventory.

Compared to September of last year, there were 13-point-six percent more Iowa homes for sale last month. And that year-to-year comparison shows the average number of days a home is on the market was 25 percent higher in September. The median sales price for an Iowa home in September was 245-thousand dollars. That’s slightly lower than it was in August.