The market of available homes in Whatcom County shrunk in May compared to one year ago, but local real-estate brokers posted a significant increase in closed sales.

Whatcom County saw 279 closed sales on single-family homes and condominiums in May 2013, a 38.8 percent increase from May 2012, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, an organization that operates in 21 counties in Washington.

There were 1,448 active residential listings in Whatcom County in May 2013, a 6.2 percent drop from the 1,544 listings during the same month one year ago.

The median residential selling price in Whatcom County in May was $250,000, up 6.4 percent from the previous year. Average sale price  in May was $290,196, a 7.5 percent increase from 2012.

In all counties the NMLS serves combined, the median sale price was $275,000; the average sale price was $343,639.

In markets outside of Whatcom County, new listings of available homes spiked, although overall inventories remain thin. There were 11,445 new listings were reported in May, the highest number since April 2010, according to the NMLS.

Evan Marczynski, staff reporter for The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or evan@bbjtoday.com.