Market shows signs of uptick

A few nuggets of residential real estate data for the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton region improved in the 2012 first quarter, according to Metrostudy, a housing research firm.

The most significant gain was in housing starts. They were up 14.3% over the 2011 first quarter, to 503 single-family starts, Metrostudy reported. The annual housing start rate rose to 1,981 homes, up 8.1% over 2011.

Other positive data: Inventory in the first quarter dropped 2.1% over the 2011 first quarter, to a 6.8-month supply, and finished vacant inventory dropped 23.9% over 2011, to a two-month supply.