An expanse of land stretching across the coastal region in New Hampshire, the Seacoast area, as it is commonly called, has, like many markets, seen a shift in residential real estate over the past couple of years. Prices had risen to all-time highs in the pre-housing-burst period, and once the bubble popped, values came tumbling back down, hurting many mortgage holders.

The year 2009 however, has seen some relief on the Seacoast real estate market. In November, according to the Northern New England Real Estate Network, the area saw 1,652 homes sold, an increase from last year at the same time, when that figure was just 998, but lower than 2005’s figure of 2,062.

Homes for sale on the Seacoast are also spending about the same time, on average, on the market. In November, the average was 144 days, up slightly from 141 during November 2008, but lower than figures in earlier months of 2009. The uptick in sales volume has been largely attributed to the government program offering tax rebates to those who purchase new homes, but as foreclosures mount, more and more homes are coming on to the market as well.

Prices of real estate on the Seacoast have fallen from their highs, though not as hard as in other areas on the East Coast. The median sale price of a property sold on the Seacoast in November was $188,000, down slightly from last year’s $190,000, and down more from 2006’s high of $227,000. The average selling price per square foot for homes was at around $128/square foot in November, also down slightly from last year’s mark of around $132.