Sale pending signs are blooming across Chester County this spring as first-time homebuyers wake from their hibernation with newfound buying power.

Pending sales were 85.8 percent higher in February than the same month last year, according to a Suburban West Realto Association housing market report.

“Contract activity is convincingly up compared to a year ago despite comparable inventory level,” National Assocociation of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a recent press release.

“The difference this year is the positive factors supporting stronger sales, such as slightly improving credit conditions, more jobs and slower price growth.”

In fact, the median sale price for a Chester County home in February was down 2.3 percent from a year ago, to $273,250, making homes more affordable for buyers.

“Because mortgage rates are still at all-time lows, I have encountered more clients confident in their buying power,” Suburban West Realtors Association Chairman-Elect Leann Murphy said in the article.

“This is particularly true of first-time homebuyers, which is creating a domino effect that moves existing homebuyers up.”