Austin, Texas-Area Housing Sales for February Fall 14 Percent.

Byline: Shonda Novak

Mar. 21--Sales of existing homes in the Austin metropolitan area declined 14 percent in February from a year ago, while the number of homes on the market jumped 63 percent, according to new figures from the Austin Board of Realtors.

Prices, however, continued to rise. The median price was $156,950 in February, up 11 percent from a year ago.

Real estate agents attribute the decline in sales to several factors, from uncertainty about the economy, as people continue to keep an eye on the stock and job markets, to interest rates, as people wait to see whether rates might fall lower still.

"I think people are being a little …