The number of single-family homes sold in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana totaled 3,291, up 0.2 percent from 3,284 in August 2003, a Realtors' group said Friday.

Sales for Southwest Ohio showed a drop in August, but small gains in Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana helped the region see an increase.

Nationally, existing-home sales dipped to a projected rate for the year of 6.54 million, down 2.7 percent from a pace of 6.72 million in July, the National Association of Realtors said. The August pace is up 2.3 percent from last August.

Sales in Southwest Ohio came in at 2,555 units, down 0.74 percent from 2,574 in August 2003, according to the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors. Sales in Southwest Ohio account for about 80 percent of the region's total.

The average price last month was $175,990, up from $170,846 a year ago.

Sandra Butler, president of the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors, called last month's drop negligible.

Only 19 fewer homes sold last month than last August and about 400 more were sold last month than in August 2002.

In Northern Kentucky, 626 houses were sold, up from 616 in August 2003, the Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors reported. The average price was $148,342, down from $150,960.

Sales in Southeast Indiana totaled 110, 16 more than last August, the Southeastern Indiana Board of Realtors reported. The average price last month was $144,858, down from $149,853 in August 2003.

David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, said the market is adjusting to a more sustainable pace.

"Since April we've experienced three of the four strongest months on record for existing-home sales, and August was the sixth highest," he said. "We're at a more sustainable level now, but long-term there should be some additional easing toward the end of the year."

E-mail jmckinney@enquirer.com