Bay Area home prices decline in December, sales increase

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The median sales price for a Bay Area home was $375,000 in December, down 1.3% from both November and December 2009, according to data released Thursday.

Sales of homes in the San Francisco Bay Area were up 17.5% from November to December but were down 8.3% when compared with the same month a year before, according to research firm MDA DataQuick, which released the figures Thursday.

With a total of 7,178 new and previously owned houses and condominiums selling in the Bay Area last month, the total tally was below December’s historical average of 8,693 sales.

“Right now, most of what we’re seeing are distress sales and bargain hunting,” said John Walsh, DataQuick president.

-- Alejandro Lazo