The 2015 housing market in the Twin Cities is off to a relatively strong start. Though there were fewer closings in January than last year, pending sales - a indication of future closings - increased nearly 8 percent, suggesting that more moderate temps and near-record low mortgage rates, are rousting buyers from their midwinter slumber. Here's what happened during January, according to a monthly report from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors (we'll have a complete story at www.startribune.com):

  • Closings: 2,340, down 9.7%
  • Pendings: 2,986, up 7.8%
  • Median sale price: $195,000, up 8.5%
  • New listings: 4,497, up 5.9%
  • Overall inventory: 11,962, down 6.3%