The housing market in and around the Tri-Cities continued to show signs of improvement in October, even as the number of homes sold through foreclosure or short sale increased.

According to the latest round of home sale statistics from organizations representing local real estate agents, the number of homes sold in the Tri-Cities and in Kane County increased last month.

In the Tri-Cities of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia, the number of homes sold in October in the three communities combined climbed about 29 percent, compared to the same month in 2011.