The names are common to powerhouse real estate areas such as Modesto, Calif., Sacramento, Calif., Naples, Fla., Mercer County.....

Whoa! Mercer County?

It's not a mistake. The list was compiled by the Office of Housing Enterprise Oversight and compares how median home prices have increased from fourth quarter 2000 to fourth quarter 2001.

The list shows the median home price in Mercer County, which is listed as Sharon in the list, increased an eye-popping 12.55 percent.

"I'm not surprised,'' said Alice Garcia, the president of the Greater Mercer County Board of Realtors. A Realtor with Northwood Realty Services, Sharon, Ms. Garcia explains there are a number of reasons for the jump.

"For many, many years we didn't' have much housing development. Then in the last five to eight years we've seen a number of huge developments,'' she said.

Eagle Point, Hunters Woods, Pierce Bluff, and Loren Woods, all in Hermitage, have boosted the area's image when it comes to real estate, Mrs. Garcia said.

With state Route 60 establishing a corridor to the Pittsburgh market over the past decade, people are more willing to live here and commute. Also, the growth seen among the hospitals has fueled good paying local jobs.

"Our new industry here is no longer mills,'' Mrs. Garcia said. It's the hospitals and all the cottage industries they develop. You find with the increase in income an increase in the quality of homes.''

That has also helped to improve the value of existing homes.

"For years we used to see a lot of low-end homes selling for $40,000 to $50,000,'' she said. "Those same homes are now selling for $80,000 to $90,000.''

But anyone expecting the sky is the limit for what they can charge for their home had better think twice, said Charles Ziccardi, a Hermitage real estate appraiser.

"If you pay $350,000 for a house don't expect it to be $425,000 next year,'' Ziccardi said.

Part of the reason for the large percentage increase in home prices is a matter of simple math, he said. The area still has a good supply of inexpensive homes on the market.

"When you have a $30,000 to $40,000 house it doesn't have to go up a lot in order to get a 12 percent increase,'' Ziccardi said.

He continues to see the area as a buyers market.

"Sellers are becoming much more receptive to offers,'' he said.