Home sales on the Big Island and Kauai were slow in April, but median prices were mixed, according to reports released yesterday.

The reports from Hawaii Information Service showed that sales on Hawaii island were down just under 20 percent last month, while median prices were modestly higher.

There were 136 single-family homes sold on the island in April, down 19.5 percent from 169 in the same month last year. The median price was up 8.4 percent to $259,950 from $239,900 in the same period.

Condominium sales were down 18.2 percent to 36 last month from 44 a year earlier. The median price was up 0.8 percent to $262,000 from $260,000.

On Kauai, single-family home sales declined 29 percent to 27 last month from 38 a year earlier. The median price was $455,165, down 12.9 percent from $522,500.

Condo sales on the Garden Island managed a slight budge upward to 19 last month from 17 a year earlier. The median price was down 31 percent to $294,000 from $426,000.

Because of the relatively small sales volumes in the two neighbor island housing markets, median prices can be affected more by the mix of homes sold as opposed to changes in inherent property value.

For instance, there were two single-family homes sold last month in Waimea on Kauai for a median price of $1 million. A year earlier there were three sales for a median $430,000.

In Lihue the median condo price last month on 10 sales was $52,000. A year earlier there were seven sales for a median $162,000.