Property sales in Evanston declined 12 percent from year-ago levels last month and the average selling price fell 4 percent.
Property sales in Evanston declined 12 percent from year-ago levels last month and the average selling price fell 4 percent.
Figures from the city clerk’s office show 129 property sales in April, compared to 147 sales in April 2006 and 180 sales in April 2005.
The average selling price was $446,657. That’s down from $466,776 in April 2006 and $464,201 in April 2005.
The monthly transfer tax figures include commercial as well as residential properties, although there were no unusually large commercial sales last month.
For past 12 months sales volume is off 3.4 percent from the year-earlier period. The average selling price over the past 12 months is up 18.6 percent from the year-earlier period, but includes two major commercial property transactions that substantially raised the average.
Six properties sold for $1 million or more last month. A two-story office building at 1508 Sherman Ave. sold for $2.2 million. A lakefront home at 568 Ingleside Park sold for $1.8 million. A Prairie-style single-family home at 2610 Lincoln St. sold for $1.76 million. The former Catholic Women’s Club building at 1560 Oak Ave., soon to be the site of a clock museum, sold for $1.4 million. A tile-roofed single family home at 731 Forest Ave. sold for $1.2 million. And a two-story brick home at 2819 Garrison Ave. sold for $1 million.
The city anticipates raising $4.06 million from the Real Estate Transfer Tax in the fiscal year that started in March. For the year so far collections from the 0.5 percent tax on property sales are $643,695 — 5 percent below the level needed to reach the budget target.