The York County real estate market is getting better slowly, and John LeCates said that's just as it should be.

"It's much better than things responding very quickly. When there's a big rise, there's a big fall," said LeCates, president of the Realtors Association of York & Adams Counties.

York County home sales continued to rise through April.

During the first four months of the year, 1,073 homes were sold in the county, an 8 percent increase from the same time period in 2011, when 996 home were sold here, according to figures released Thursday.

More sales in January and February of this year than in the same months in 2011 are largely responsible for the increase, but April held steady, with 294 homes selling in York County.

Prices: Meanwhile, the median sale price continues to drop.

In April, the median sale price in York County was $135,000, a 2 percent decrease from the same month last year.

"The local market seems to be stable," LeCates said.

The Dallastown Area School District experienced the most home sales with 34, although that was down five from a year ago.

The South Western School District had a big jump up from nine sales last April to 21 this year. The district also showed strong growth during the first four months of this year, posting 74 sales, a 42 percent increase from its 52 sales during the same period last year.

Some of those sales may be attributed to out-of-state buyers, LeCates said.

"If gas prices keep going down, it helps us attract buyers from Maryland," he said.

While sales are increasing, there's still a nine-month supply of homes on the market. Ideally, LeCates said, there would only be a six-month supply.

"Cautiously optimistic is the best way to describe how we're feeling about real estate right now," he said.

- Reach Candy Woodall at 505-5437 or cwoodall@yorkdispatch.com.