DQNews.com -- Southern California home sales rose for the 11th consecutive month in May as sales of $500,000-plus homes started to come back. The median price paid increased slightly from the prior month for the first time since July 2007, the result of a shift in market activity where sales of deeply discounted foreclosures waned and mid- to high-end purchases rose, a real estate information service reported.

A total of 20,775 new and resale houses and condos closed escrow in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino counties last month. That was up 1.3% from 20,514 in April and up 22.8% from 16,917 a year ago. Sales have now increased year-over-year for 11 consecutive months. May’s sales were the highest for that month since May 2006, when 30,303 homes sold, but were 21.2% below the average May sales total since 1988, when DataQuick’s statistics begin.

The median price paid for all new and resale houses and condos sold in the six-county Southland last month was $249,000, up 0.8% from $247,000 in April but down 32.7% from $370,00