LOS ANGELES (AP) — California's median home price dipped more than 3 percent last month to $239,000 from $247,000 in January 2010 as distress sales and bargain hunting continued to dominate the market.

San Diego-based DataQuick Information Systems said Thursday that the state median was also down about 6 percent from $254,000 in December.

Home sales edged down less than 1 percent from around 27,860 in January 2010 to about 27,710 last month but dropped nearly 24 percent from around 36,220 in December.

A decline in sales between December and January is normal for the season, with the drop averaging about 27 percent.

Foreclosures accounted for about 40 percent of last month's sales.

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