A new report from Washington State University shows that home sales are continuing to slide in Washington, and while home prices go down, housing affordability is improving.

During the first quarter of 2008, homes sold at a level 3.4 percent lower than the previous quarter, and nearly 30 percent below a year ago. Washington’s annual sales decline is slightly greater than the national rate, but markets in the state remained more robust than in many areas of the Western U. S.

While home sales compared to last year declined in 36 of the state’s 39 counties, three counties showed significant increases, and 12 counties posted increases from the first quarter of this year compared to the previous three months.

The statewide median price of a home sold during the first quarter was nearly $294,000, a 2.4 percent decline from the same period a year ago. However, a total of 20 counties reported higher median prices than in 2007, and nine of those had increases in excess of 10 percent.

Median prices in urban markets ranged from $435,000 in King County to $150,000 in Asotin County.