The number of sales in Fairfield County reached their highest level in nine years as inventory slipped, resulting in the fastest marketing time in a decade. There were 3,408 sales in the third quarter, up 19.6% from the year ago quarter. Listing inventory continued to slip, down 10.1% to 6,597 over the same period. The absorption rate, the number of months to sell all inventory at the current rate of sales, fell to 5.8 months, the fastest market pace since the third quarter of 2005…