Home prices in metro Atlanta slipped in September, as schools swung into session and summer ended.

The median price of a home declined 4.2 percent to $230,000 last month, although it was higher in September than in the same month of last year, according to a report released today by the Atlanta Realtors Association.

That median price was 6 percent higher than a year earlier, the association said.

That pattern — monthly prices dipping, but an upward trend over the year — roughly echoes the report from last month.

Prices typically cool as the seasons change, and they were true to form this turn around the calendar as the number of home sales fell along with the mercury: the number of completed transaction plunged 20 percent from August to September.

Compared to a year ago, the number of homes sold in September was down just 1.9 percent and the median sales price was up 6.0 percent.

During September, there were 4,383 homes sold in the 11-county area covered by the Realtors report.

The data contained in the Realtors report was collected by the First Multiple Listing Service, Inc.

_______________________

The overall housing market

.…….. from August to September:

…………………………….. Percent change

Total home sales ……… -20.0%

Median sales price …….. -4.2%

Average sales price ……. -4.3%

________________________

…….. in the largest counties of the region:

…………….Units sold …………Median price

Cobb …………. 756 ………………. $243,000

DeKalb ………..583 ………………. $248,000

Fulton ………… 720 ………………. $315,000

Gwinnett ……. 969 ………………. $215,000

Sources: Atlanta Realtors Association, First Multiple Listing Service, Inc.