Hillsborough County home sales rose 20 percent in September from a year earlier.

The Greater Tampa Association of Realtors counted 1,709 sales last month, 20 percent higher than the 1,429 sales in September 2008. The inventory of homes listed for sale in and around Tampa, 14,433, declined to its lowest level since spring 2006.

On a negative note, September 2008 sales may have been artificially low, making this year's improvement look better than it really was. The failure of Lehman Brothers a year ago set off a financial panic that stymied mortgage lending.

September homes sold for an average of $166,468, 19 percent lower than the $205,013 sales price of a year earlier. Hillsborough home prices have hovered around $160,000 since January.