Before the project even broke ground on Ann Arbor’s North Main Street, developer Tom Fitzsimmons sold 16 out of 18 luxury condominiums in his development near Kerrytown.

The price range for a condo: $500,000 to $1 million.

Fitzsimmons’ success — he said he never had a chance to launch a marketing website before people started inquiring about the units — made me wonder: How hot is the market for high-end residences in Washtenaw County right now?

A sign on the 414 N. Main site advertises the soon-to-come luxury condominiums on the site of the former Greek Church building.Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News 

Real estate data compiled by the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors shows sales of $1 million-plus residences are slowly starting to gain speed.

Sales of those homes were up from six in 2011, to 13 homes in 2012. There were 11 $1 million-plus home sales during the first nine months of 2013, with an average sale price per square foot of $276. That compares to $259 per square foot in 2012 and $211 in 2011.

In addition, there are two $1 million-plus homes under contract in the county right now.

“I’m very, very pleased with that,” said Lisa Stelter, Reinhart Realtors. “I think there’s a good representation of high-end houses and they’re selling. Some of them are not staying on the market as long as they used to.”

So far in 2013, the average number of days on the market for $1 million-plus homes is 76. That compares to 113 days in 2012 and 128 days in 2011.

The most expensive home sold so far in 2013 is a 10,200-square-foot home at 3929 Pleasant Lake Road, which sold for $1.95 million in January. The list price was $2.25 million.

“The high-end market is strong,” said Howard “Hoddy” Hanna, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Howard Hanna entered the Ann Arbor area market when it acquired Edward Surovell Realtors in 2012.

“There’s a tremendous demand of potential buyers who bought their first or second house years ago, but then took themselves out of the market during the downturn because they didn’t want to make a decision,” Hanna continued. “Now, you have a roughly four- or five-year pent-up demand from those people.”

Across the board, the number of residential sales year-to-date in Washtenaw County is holding steady at 2,569 homes, compared to 2,566 during the same time in 2012. Meanwhile, the median sales price is up 22.8 percent. The average sale price year-to-date is $214,900, compared to $175,000 in 2012.

“That’s reflective that you have bigger house sales happening,” Hanna said.

Realtors say increased activity across all home prices is fueled by low interest rates, lack of inventory, pent-up demand and slower new home construction activity. In the high-end market, a rebounding economy and job growth is leading to increased buyer confidence.

Still, while many homes in the $200,000 to $300,0000 range are selling above list price with multiple offers in a matter of days, luxury homes tend to sit longer on the market. It’s also where buyers saved hundreds of thousands of dollars off asking price during the downturn.

One of the most expensive homes sold in Washtenaw County this year — a 1940s ranch on a 15-acre site near Barton Pond — was originally listed in 2011 for $1,999,000, according to data compiled by Keller Williams’ Martin Bouma.

The house was relisted for $1,699,000 in July 2012, and it sold in March for $1,160,000. Ann Arbor Township records show the property has a 2013 assessed value of $1,297,830.

Among the $1 million-plus home sales so far this year, three sold for asking price, six sold below, and one home, a short sale in Superior Township, sold $51,000 above the $999,900 list price. A home at 326 Juniper Lane sold $50,100 above the $950,000 listing price.

Savarino Properties’ Stephanie Savarino said the near-downtown Ann Arbor housing market, particularly in the $450,000 to $650,000 range, is extremely hot right now. Savarino is working with Fitzsimmons on his North Main Street condo development, where some units are selling for $1 million.

“The minute something that is updated, new and near downtown is listed between $450,000 and $650,000, it’s gone with six offers in 48 hours,” she said. “Things are much better than a year ago in the high-end market. We have so much demand.”

Added Fitzsimmons about the North Main Street development: “We initially planned to set up a marketing campaign website…we never even got to that. We never even had the opportunity. We had reservations and pre-sales before we were even able to kick off the campaign.”

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at 734-623-2584, email her lizzyalfs@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.