Even in the tough economic climate, Realtor.com officials say people are still searching for real estate listings in the Raleigh-Durham–Chapel Hill area.

Julie Reynolds, spokeswoman for Realtor.com, says buyers and sellers are paying more attention to the area.

The area was the 24th most searched market in December, beating the Charlotte area, the Greensboro area and even Washington, D.C.  

Nearly 14 percent more people searched for real estate in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill in December than in November.

Compared to December 2007 about 18 percent more people searched for real estate in December of this year.

The Raleigh-Durham–Chapel Hill area is one of the fastest growing markets, according to Realtor.com.  The Web site is operated by the company Move Inc. About 3.7 million consumers visited Realtors.com in December.