Data just in for the month of April shows that in the downtown neighborhoods condo prices rose 3.9% per square foot over March 2007. This increase is significant in that this is the first monthly increase this year coming off a very slow year in 2006. The average sold costs per square foot for April was $574. The number of condos sold for the month also rose 4% to the highest level so far this year. Last fall was really one of the best times to buy and the worst time to sell in years. That painfully slow time of the market is behind us now and its effects are still showing up in the trailing twelve month statistics showing sales volume down 23% while prices are down only 4.5% from the prior trailing twelve months. The average price of a San Diego condo sold in April 2007 was $696,000. Condos above this average price point are appreciating faster than the condos below this price range. Not too surprising as the entry level condo market is experiencing the slow down associated with the credit standard tightening up which really affects first time buyers. Real estate prices for all of San Diego county rose almost 4% as well from March of 2007. There has been a lot of predictions in the press about the fall out of home owners not being able to afford increases in their monthly mortgage payments due to rising interest rates impacting those with adjustable rate mortgages. This has not really had a negative impact on the market yet, other than to perhaps stall the appreciation rate from the generous increases in past years. For more information on the San Diego condo market including downtown neighborhoods such as Marina and Gaslamp, visit www.LiveAtTheTop.com.