After a one-month uptick, closed sales in homes again showed a decline in November.

According to housing market data released by the Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors (LVAR), during the month of November, closed sales decreased 7.5 percent, or 481, down from 520 in November 2013.

October was the only month to show an increase in closed sales in 2014, up 7.4 percent, to 635, compared to 591 in October 2013.

October reversed nine-months of decreasing home sales.

During November 2014, for the second month in a row, pending home sales increased 17.9 percent over the same month the previous year, 554 in November, compared to 470 in November 2013.

Additionally, prices gained traction with the median sales price, the point at which half the sales sold for more and half sold for less, not counting sellers concessions, increasing 3.9 percent to $176,500, and the average sales price increasing 0.5 percent to $198,738. Percent of list price received increased 0.6 percent to 96.5 percent.

According to Ryan Conrad, CEO of LVAR, "These figures in November are strong and continue the positive trends as the year comes to a close.

"Interest rates have remained much lower than expected and will likely remain low for most of the coming year, but could approach 5 percent toward the end of the year. We anticipate that prices and other indicators will continue to increase in 2015 as a part of the economic recovery."

In another positive trend, the number of days on the market until a property was sold decreased 6.6 percent to 71 days. Sellers were encouraged as the month's supply of inventory was down 1.4 percent to seven months, now within the parameters of a balanced real estate market (four to seven months).

New listings decreased 2.5 percent to 705, and inventory levels shrank 0.8 percent with 3,932 properties available for sale.

"As we enter 2015, we anticipate that prices should continue to rise, but at a more stable pace than recent years," said Kim Lucas Mantz, president of the Association. "This helps the affordability for first time home buyers, however mortgage credit and student debt still remain obstacles to some trying to enter the housing market."

Here's a roundup of closed sales so far during 2014:

September: 8.7 percent decrease, 555, down from 608 in in September 2013.

August: 7.3 percent decrease, 652, down from 703 in August 2013;

July: 10.6 percent decrease, 656, down from 734 in July 2013;

June: 9.3 percent decrease, 627, down from 691 in June 2013;

May: 7.9 percent decrease, 2,145, down from 2,328 in May 2013;

April: 11.3 percent decrease, 1,524, down from 1,719 in April 2013;

March: 15.2 percent decrease 407, down from 480 in March 2013;

February: 10 percent decrease, compared to February 2013; and

January; 3.1 percent decrease, compared to January 2013.

Closed sales of houses for 2013 were 15.5 percent higher than 2012 and 32 percent higher than in 2011.

Closed sales of houses data includes that for single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums.

The monthly housing data is collected by the LVAR from its Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a comprehensive and nonbiased database that includes housing market information from its more than 2,000 Realtor members.

LVAR is a not-for-profit trade association providing professional development and training resources, competitive market information, legislative advocacy, a peer review and mediation process for members, and a dispute resolution service for consumers.

LVAR owns and operates the Lehigh Valley Multiple Listing Service, the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Academy and is publisher of Lehigh Valley Real Estate Weekly.