LOCAL : Orange County Home Prices Dip

Orange County housing prices, as well as the number of homes sold, dipped last month, according to TRW Real Estate Market Information.

The average price for all homes sold in the county during the month was $218,251, down 0.7% from December’s $219,774. The average price a year ago was $179,895, or about 21% less.

Sales fell 27.6% in January, from 4,639 units sold in December to 3,362 in January, TRW said. That is about the same decline as the market experienced for the same period last year, when sales fell 28.2% between December and January, a traditionally slow period for home sales.

The market survey by TRW, based in Colton, includes both new and used houses and condominiums.