The State of Columbia reports (http://bit.ly/12Ek7BQ ) that the S.C. Realtors trade group reports almost 6,000 more houses were sold in June than in the same month in 2012.

In Columbia, sales jumped 26 percent with more than 900 houses sold, according to figures released Monday by the trade group.

Halfway through the year, sales are up 19 percent statewide with more than 30,000 homes sold. If that pace continues for the year, it would be the best year statewide since the housing decline during the Great Recession.

The median price of homes that sold statewide in June was up more than 4 percent from the previous year to just under $165,000. 

Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com