The housing market continues to be on the upswing in Riley County, county appraiser Greg McHenry told county commissioners during their meeting Thursday morning.
“It is definitely true that the market has picked up a bit this spring,” McHenry said. “We’ve seen more sales than a year ago.”
McHenry reported that there were 453 home sales this year through May 29, which he said is roughly 45 more than during the same period of time a year ago. The median sale price was $180,000 while the average sale price was $194,000.
McHenry said the housing market in Riley County seems to have found its footing and is the healthiest its been since the Great Recession crippled it in 2007 and 2008.
“I think we’re a little more back to that market that we saw prior to the 2008 financial crisis,” he said. “Not like we were in 2007 when it was very, very active, but more refinancing, more sales of existing homes and quite a bit of new construction, too.
“If you haven’t been, lately, take a drive out through the Colbert Hills area, through Lee Mill Heights on the southwest part of town and there’s a lot of new construction going on, and that’s a good sign.”
In other items, Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr updated the commission on improvements to the Manhattan Regional Airport, which is transitioning into its second phase of remodeling and could include commercial development around the area as well.
“We’re trying to get (Phase I) wrapped up,” he said. “We did have a pre-construction last week on Phase II and we’re looking at a notice to proceed on the 22nd of June. There’s a little bit of confusion on exactly where we’re going to have the rental car agencies set up shop.
“We’re making some modifications there to accommodate them.”
The discussion shifted to proposed parking garages in downtown and Aggieville, and Commissioner Bob Boyd suggested to Fehr a possible partnership between Manhattan Christian College and the Aggieville Business Association.
“It’s just a block away,” Boyd said. “I know they want a bigger auditorium and more seating capacity, but are limited by parking.”
Fehr said funding for the new parking garages will be a challenge and that ideas like Boyd’s are on the table.
“I think it is going to take partnerships to help fund some of that,” he said.
Commissioners also heard more rounds of budget and appropriation request presentations from various departments, which will continue throughout the month as they work to finalize an overall budget for the county by August.
