October was a strong month for Island County home sellers, according to figures released Nov. 5 by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Inventory of available houses stood at 3.49 months, compared with 3.79 months in October 2014.

If would-be buyers find a limited selection, they are more likely to buy what is available and even to bid over the asking price, said Coldwell Banker broker Ken Anderson.

A supply of four to six months is considered balanced equally to favor buyers and sellers.

Throughout the 23-county area MLS covers, the figure was 2.33 months.

Island County saw 171 sales pending during the month, versus 131 new listings.

Among 142 closings, the average price was $375,583 and the median was $320,250. Area-wide, those figures were $392,710 and $318,000, respectively.