The Huntsville housing market remained cool in December compared to 2021′s record setting year.

But the market showed signs of thawing as 2022 ended, with 538 homes sold in December. That’s five more than were sold in November, but still off the 847 homes that sold in the final month of 2021.

“Things really started to seem like they were normalizing in December,” said Exit Realty’s Chris Hulser, who is president of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors. “Sales are still up. People are still relocating to Huntsville. People who are here are still looking to downsize or upsize for whatever their needs are.”

Athens and Limestone County saw a similar trend. According to ValleyMLS, 143 homes sold in December, an increase from 128 in November, but still short of December 2021, when 202 homes sold.

The Decatur metro area was an exception, seeing a slight decrease in sales in December, dropping from 118 in November to 115. As was the case with the rest of the area, home sales were off the 2021 pace, when 161 homes sold in December. The Decatur metro includes Morgan and Lawrence counties.

According to Hulser and Tim Knox of Revolved Realty, the hottest selling homes were those lower than the average sales price, which in Huntsville and Madison County was $366,000. In Athens-Limestone, it was $358,000 and in the Decatur metro, it was $248,000.