Sales of new and existing homes in California decreased by 25.5% in January 2012 from the previous month as an estimated 28,111 new and resale houses and condos were sold according to DataQuick.

This represents an increase of 1.5% from the 27,706 sold in January 2011, however historically the average number of sales for the month is 31,717 with a high of 47,138 in 2004 and a low of 19,145 in 2008.

The median price pad also decreased in January 2012 as it fell 4.1% to $236,000 from the previous month and also 1.5% on an annual basis from $239,000. The median price has decreased on a year-over-year basis for the last 16 months. The bottom of the current cycle was $221,000 in April 2009, while the peak median price paid was $484,000 back in early 2007.

Of the existing homes sold last month, 34.5% were properties that had been foreclosed on during the past year, an increase from a revised 33.9% for December 2011 but down from 40.4% in January 2011.