The Buncombe County residential sales data is posted for August and it shows an overall increase in sales of homes over last month, but it is down by 8 homes from a year ago. Looking at a graph of sales over the year to date, it really validates what the news is reporting about the real estate market in the United States. There is a peak in most of the price categories around the end of April (the deadline for a contract to be signed that would result in a sale that could take advantage of the tax credit). By the middle of June, the graph has begun to steadily head downward. We have a bit of a rebound on the books for August. We have to remember when we are looking at sales data that the buyer probably signed a contract 30-45 days prior to the sales date. So the bump up in August is a result of buyers shopping and purchasing in the beginning of the summer. It will be interesting to see the marks for September and October, as they will be the gauge of just what kind of selling summer we had.