Housing inventory and overall home affordability in Indiana were both up in February.

While home prices have risen by about four percent statewide from last year, lower mortgage rates mean total costs have gone down.

This has led to more closed sales throughout the state, with 17 percent more sales in February than in January.

However, according to data from the Indiana Association of Realtors, Monroe County has had a 9 percent drop in sales since the start of the year.

Chris Watts with the Association said that Monroe homebuyers and sellers should wait until spring before drawing conclusions about the market.

“In Monroe County, you tend to see more of a slow start to the year, but a larger spike in the springtime, especially in March and April,” Watts said.

Monroe, Owen, Johnson, and Brown counties all saw fewer sales last month than at the same time last year. Morgan, Greene, Clay, Martin, Lawrence, Jackson, and Bartholomew counties saw growth in home sales.