WASHINGTON (National Association of Realtors) – The National Association of Realtors reported yesterday that existing home sales dropped by 0.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million units and are 23.4 percent below the 6.44 million-unit pace in January 2007. This marks the slowest sales pace on record going back to 1999.

The median price of a home sold in January slid to $201,100, a 4.6 percent drop from a year ago.

Here is how some Texas regions compared last month:

Central Texas
With 1,321 existing homes sold, sales were down 10 percent, according to the Austin Board of Realtors. The median price rose 7 percent to $187,000. (Austin American-Statesman)

San Antonio
Last month saw the number of home sales drop 17.3 percent from a year ago, as well as a 1.9 percent drop in the median home price from $142,400 to $139,700. (San Antonio Express-News)

North Texas - The North Texas Real Estate Information System showed 4,490 homes sold in January, down 16 percent from January 2007. Home prices fell 1 percent from a year ago to $138,000. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Lubbock
Sales of existing homes fell 11.4 percent, from 192 units a year ago to 170 units last month. The Lubbock Association of Realtors reported that the median sale price rose 6.5 percent to $107,500, compared with $100,950 for January 2007. (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Beaumont
Sales of existing homes dropped 12.2 percent from January 2007, but the $134,000 median home value was a 12.4 percent increase over last year. (Beaumont Enterprise)