Getting halfway through the year allows a longer look at how the Pierce County real estate market is progressing. Earlier this week, we looked at median home prices for the first half of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. Now, let’s take a look at sales activity.

Every one of the 17 areas in the county tracked by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service has seen sales decline. Overall, sales year-to-date declined 33.1 percent, from 6,608 houses and condos sold in the first six months of 2007 to 4,421 for the same stretch of time this year.

Any predictions on when sales might move to positive territory? Every area also saw a year-over-year drop in May and in June, which wasn’t the case in April. So perhaps more decreases ahead?