Sales of existing homes continued to slow on the Big Island and Kaua'i in May, while median prices were mixed.

Statistics released by Hawai'i Information Service yesterday show sales declined the most in Kaua'i's condominium market, where there were just 25 sales last month compared with 80 a year earlier.

The 69 percent drop occurred almost entirely in Lihu'e, where condo sales fell to seven, from 56 in the year-over-year period.

Because Lihu'e condo prices represent the low end of the island's price range, the overall median price for Kaua'i condo sales last month shot to $700,000, a new record that was nearly double the May 2006 median of $355,000.

The median price for Lihu'e condos in May and a year earlier was about $340,000. In Kaua'i's priciest condo market, Hanalei, there were three fewer sales last month, but the $799,000 median was up from about $600,000 a year earlier.

Single-family home sales and prices on Kaua'i were more stable. There were 39 May sales, unchanged from a year earlier. The median price was $570,000, down 26 percent from $775,000.

The median price change mostly was influenced by four more sales in Lihu'e and four fewer in Hanalei.

On the Big Island, single-family home sales were down 10 percent to 150 last month, compared with 167 a year earlier. The median price was $439,500, up 1 percent from $435,000.

Big Island condo sales were down 24 percent to 54 last month, compared with 71 a year earlier. The median price was $396,950, down 24 percent from $525,000.

As on Kaua'i, the dramatic change in Big Island condo prices was influenced by the geography of sales. The sales decline occurred solely in South Kohala, the island's priciest condo market where the median sale was for $860,000 last month and $623,250 a year earlier.

By comparison, the median sale price for condos in South Hilo was $170,000 last month and $108,000 a year earlier. There were five South Hilo condo sales in both periods.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.