WASHINGTON -- The homes sales pace slid in 41 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter compared to the same period in 2006, a leading real estate trade group said Wednesday.

The quarterly survey from the National Association of Realtors also showed prices rose in 97 of 149 metro regions from a year ago, while 50 regions had price declines.

The national median existing single-family home price was down 1.5 percent to $223,800 from the second quarter of 2006 when the median price was $227,100.

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