Those in the real estate industry expressed slight optimism in the latest Realtor Market Index, produced by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.
The market index for August improved 40 percent from last year. Based on a 100-point scale with 100 being strong, the index registered at 28.57 in August, up from 20.36 in August 2010. The index is up 6 percent from the July reading.
But, Realtors do not seem as optimistic about home prices. The home price index fell 4 percent from last year to 39.9. The price index is also based on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing strong confidence that home prices will increase in the future.
Realtors noted the long time it takes to complete the sale of a distressed property as a weight on the market.
