(Radio Iowa) — The number of homes sold in Iowa during the month of January, bounded more than ten-percent compared to January of 2019, according to a report from the Iowa Association of Realtors. Association president Scott Wendl, a realtor in Clive, credits the warmer weather for the healthy jump. “If you remember last year, January was really cold and not many people like to look at homes when it’s negative-20-degrees out,” Wendl says. “This year, it just seems to be a more mild winter, not as much snow. People are more energized to get out and start looking with the rates being so competitive.”

The report says home sales prices across Iowa remained steady compared to January of 2019.”The average price has gone up statewide 1.3% which averages out to about $3,000,” Wendl says. “The average sale price in the Iowa market is $160,000 which makes it very affordable when comparing it to other states.” More than 21-hundred homes sold statewide in January, compared to about 19-hundred a year ago. Wendl says homes sold relatively fast compared to last year, too, as January saw an average of 70 days on market compared to 74 days in January of 2019. “Anything with less than six months inventory, basically homes available, it’s kind of a balanced market,” Wendl says. “The buyers are definitely out there. The inventory is starting to pick up a little bit so there’s more homes to choose from.”

He’s expecting home sales to continue rising with the temperatures as warmer weather approaches. “It always picks up right after Spring Break,” Wendl says. “The floodgates open and everybody wants to buy or put their home on the market after the long winter.” Compared to last January, the report says new listings were up 4.4-percent and pending sales were up 7.5-percent, which Wendl says bodes well for February. Those numbers will be out later this month (In March).

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County, Saturday evening, arrested an Adams County man following an investigation into a single-vehicle accident. Authorities say 34-year old Jeffrey Knapp, of Nodaway, was taken into custody at around 6-p.m., for OWI/1st offense. Knapp was not injured in the accident, which took place in the 1900 block of 200th Street, in Red Oak. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, and held on a $1,000 bond. The incident remains under investigation.

Red Oak Police arrested a man late Saturday night on a Public Intoxication charge. 32-year old Brandon Michael Houghtaling, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 11:26-p.m. in the 1600 block of Broadway. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond. Red Oak Police said Houghtaling had also been arrested Friday night on the same charge in a different area of town. He was also held on a $300 bond for that offense, before being released and apprehended again Saturday night.

Emergency personnel from the West Des Moines Fire Dept. along with Police and other EMS crews were called to the scene of an accident involving three motorcycles, Saturday afternoon. Three people were injured. According to KCCI in Des Moines, the accident happened in the 1200 block of the Veterans Parkway, at around 4:10-p.m., Saturday.

Two of the crash victims suffered serious injuries, while injuries to a third person were considered to be life-threatening. The crash remained under investigation. No names were immediately released.

Police in Red Oak report a woman was arrested Saturday evening on misdemeanor drug charges. 34-year old Ashley Anne Farmer, of Shenandoah, was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Authorities say officers were called at around 7:45-p.m. to the Oak Creek Apartments at 1660 East Summit Street, for a report of the odor of marijuana in the hallway. During their investigation, Farmer was found to allegedly be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia

She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.