The inventory of houses for sale in Carbon County was down 33.5 percent in July, compared to inventory level in July 2016. That leaves the county with just 317 houses, which is a 6.4 month supply.

The inventory in the Lehigh Valley is down to just a 3.4 month supply, but sales are up in both counties."Inventory levels have nearly bottomed out," said Cass Chies, president of Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors and broker/owner of Re/Max Diamond First in Palmerton. "There really is nowhere to go but up. We may not see meaningful inventory increased when looking month-to-month, but we'll certainly see the shift and gradual increase over the next few years."Closed sales were up 2.7 percent in the Valley, but pending sales were up 14.8 percent. Locally, closed sales were up much higher at 18.9 percent with pending sales barreling ahead with an increase of 34 percent. A total of 63 houses closed in July.The average number of days on the market was 95, but 95 percent of the sellers got their asking price. The median sales price in Carbon County was $122,500, an increase of 7.5 percent. The low inventory helped to push the sales prices higher. Last year, the median price in July was $114,000.Right now, the one thing that continues to hang like a black cloud over the market is the threat of spot assessments.Chies said a couple came into an open house recently and told her they would love to move back to the area, but they are hesitant."The problem is they are very worried about purchasing the home they can afford, because of the reassessment situation going on by the school districts," she said. "To quote her in her own words, 'The same school district that I went to growing up is preventing me from returning to the area I love and want to raise my family.'"