The average Lehigh Valley home sold in August went for $228,000, down nearly 6 percent from the same month a year ago, according to a monthly report from the Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors.

And the 520 homes sold for the month represented a 23 percent drop from August 2007.

The Lehigh Valley housing market downturn has been more subdued than some other parts of the country, such as Florida and California, that have seen steep price declines and big spikes in foreclosures. The most visible change has been homes lingering on the market.

The average home sold in August had been on the market for 68 days, an increase from 49 days a year ago.

-Reporting by Spencer Soper of The Morning Call