U.S. home sales sank 3.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million homes, the weakest pace since November, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. Economists say that's far below the 6 million homes per year sold in healthy housing markets.

Sales in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area were mixed. Sales dropped to 2,749 in May, a 6 percent decrease from the same month last year. But sales actually rose 6 percent from April's 2,590 sales.

Since the housing boom went bust in 2006, sales have fallen in four of the past five years. They hit a 13-year low last year.

First-time homebuyers ticked down to 35 percent of sales. First-timers typically drive half of sales in healthy markets and are critical because they typically improve their properties and invest in their communities, a combination that helps home values rise.

The median sales price in the Tampa area continued to edge down, falling to $120,200, down from $121,400 in April. The median price was 11 percent lower than May of last year, when it was $135,600.

The median sales price for a previously occupied home nationwide in May was $166,500. That's 4.6 percent lower from the same month a year ago. The median price of a new home is nearly 31 percent higher than the median price for a resale, or twice the normal markup.

The gap is largely because of the flood of foreclosures or short sales - when the lender accepts less than what is owed on the mortgage. Those sales are forcing down prices.

Sales of homes at risk of foreclosure fell in May. But they still made up 31 percent of all purchases.