CAR said Tuesday that statewide home sales increased 12 percent in July compared with July 2008, while the median price of an existing home declined 19.6 percent.

It was the 11th straight month that existing home sales outperformed sales in the year-ago period. And while median prices were down compared with last year, they rose for the fifth straight month this year.

“The federal tax credit for first-time buyers played a critical role,” said James Liptak, CAR president. “Nearly 40 percent of first-time buyers said they would not have purchased a home if the tax credit was not offered.”

In the Sacramento region, the median home price in July was $183,840, down 16.1 percent from a year ago, according to CAR. July home sales in the region were down 6.7 percent from a year ago, but up 6 percent over June.

It marked the 11th straight month that existing home sales in California outperformed sales in the year-ago period, and the fifth straight month of rising median prices.

“The federal tax credit for first-time buyers played a critical role in the purchase decision of many buyers,” said James Liptak, CAR president. “Nearly 40 percent of first-time buyers said they would not have purchased a home if the tax credit was not offered.”

CAR said closed escrow sales of existing single-family homes in California totaled 553,910 in July at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, up from 494,390 in July 2008. The statewide sales figure represents what the total number of homes sold during 2009 would be if sales maintained the July pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

The median home price in California in July was $285,480, down from $355,000 in July last year, but up from $274,740 in June.

In the Sacramento region, CAR said the median home price in July was $183,840, down 16.1 percent from a year ago. CAR said July home sales in the region were down 6.7 percent from a year ago, but up 6 percent over June this year.