How can I tell whether home prices are rising or falling in my neighborhood?

Sold prices reflect what buyers actually paid; list prices only tell you what sellers are asking. Your agent can pull comparable closed sales from your exact area and time frame, adjusted for beds, baths, condition, and lot, so you're comparing like with like. Medians deserve caution: a handful of high-priced sales can shift a small sample, so look at the range and the direction over multiple months. Seasons matter too, since activity in Ohio and Kentucky markets differs between winter and spring, which is one more reason month-to-month readings can mislead. No single data point predicts the future, but a trend built from real closings is the truest picture available.