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V O L . X X I I I N O. I I I F E B R UA R Y 6 , 2 0 1 7 12 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Composites Center will serve as Oak Ridge's collaborative partner. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N CourseStorm Inc., a startup in Orono offering online registration software for local education providers, said it was selected as one of fi ve breakthrough companies in the latest LearnLaunch accelerator program, an edtech start- up program based in Boston. More than 400 companies were vying for the opportunity to join the program. Edwards, Faust & Smith, an account- ing fi rm in Bangor, announced it is relocating its offi ce to the historic Penobscot Savings Bank/Heritage Building on Columbia Street in Bangor. Incentives available for high-efficiency heating equipment For more information, visit efficiencymaine.com (some restrictions apply) 866-376-2463 Your business may be eligible for up to $12,500 in incentives. Maine's 2016 home sales hit 18-year high B Y M a i n e b i z S T A F F Maine Listings, a subsidiary of the Maine Association of Realtors, reported 17,507 homes were sold statewide in 2016, up 11.71% from 15,672 sold in 2015. It's the highest yearly tally in 18 years. December's sales tracked closely with that overall trend, with 1,386 homes being sold statewide, up 11.06% from the 1,248 homes sold in December 2015. The yearly statewide median sales price of $189,400 represents a 4.93% jump over the previous year — meaning, half of the homes sold for more and half for less. Statewide, the median sales price in December increased 4.08% to $185,000 compared to December 2015. Nationwide, the National Association of Realtors reported a 1.5% sales increase during the month of December, with the national median sales price rising 3.8% for the month to $233,500. Regionally, sales in the Northeast were up 2.7% in December, while the regional median sales price decreased 3.8% to $245,900. "The sales year of 2016 ended with the highest number of reported transactions since we began compiling data 18 years ago," said 2017 Maine Association of Realtors President Greg Gosselin, owner/broker of Gosselin Realty Group in York. Gosselin anticipated that 2016's strong performance would continue in 2017, citing "continued favorable fi nancing terms available to borrowers and confi dence in the economy." He said Realtors statewide have reported "steady calls from sellers prepar- ing to market their properties and buyers looking to take advantage of 'for sale' inventory coming into the marketplace after the holidays." B R I E F NUMBER OF UNITS MEDIAN SALES PRICE County 2015 2016 % change 2015 2016 % change Androscoggin 934 1,109 18.74% $136,750 $146,700 7.28% Aroostook 470 563 19.79% $87,250 $82,500 -5.44% Cumberland 4,141 4,252 2.68% $250,000 $265,000 6.00% Franklin 313 392 25.24% $129,500 $125,625 -2.99% Hancock 667 779 16.79% $191,000 $194,000 1.57% Kennebec 1,325 1,453 9.66% $139,000 $145,000 4.32% Knox 536 573 6.90% $183,500 $212,000 15.53% Lincoln 488 595 21.93% $189,500 $210,000 10.82% Oxford 684 817 19.44% $134,900 $142,000 5.26% Penobscot 1,393 1,672 20.03% $130,000 $133,000 2.31% Piscataquis 268 301 12.31% $87,500 $85,000 -2.86% Sagadahoc 434 499 14.98% $187,000 $198,000 5.88% Somerset 466 545 16.95% $93,250 $100,000 7.24% Waldo 479 492 2.71% $144,000 $159,950 11.08% Washington 281 343 22.06% $94,000 $95,000 1.06% York 2,793 3,122 11.78% $226,000 $239,000 5.75% Statewide 15,672 17,507 11.71% $180,500 $189,400 4.93% 2016 home sales comparison with 2015 S O U R C E : Maine Listings

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