(AP, Bill Sikes)

Buyers were willing to pay more for houses last year than they were in 2009, but the number of homes sold declined compared with the previous year.

Total homes sold in the eight metro-area counties dropped 10.7 percent, from 42,027 in 2009 to 37,522, according to an analysis of Metrolist data by independent real estate consultant Gary Bauer.

Meanwhile, the median price of a single-family home increased to $235,000, up 7.3 percent from $219,000 in 2009.

"There were more homes sold in the $1 million-plus range," Bauer said. "In 2010, there were fewer transactions in the lower price categories, mainly because of the scarcity of inventory."

Sales of homes priced at more than $1 million increased 11.2 percent, from 471 in 2009 to 524 last year.

Meanwhile, sales of homes priced between $200,000 and $300,000 declined 10.6 percent, from 11,149 in 2009 to 9,967 last year.



Read more:2010 mixed for Denver metro-area homes - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_17060952?source=commented-#ixzz1An2xGOAs

Counties included in the report are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert and Jefferson.