At first glance, the most positive news about the local housing market in December -- from a seller's point of view, at least -- is that it wasn't as bad as November.

According to numbers released today by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, the number of homes changing hands in the metro area last month was down about 17 percent from a year earlier. The average price dropped almost 6 percent, to just under $295,000. (For median fans: the midpoint price dropped 5 percent.)

In November, by contrast, sales fell 33 percent and prices, 8 percent.

Average prices dropped in all Baltimore-area jurisdictions except Carroll, which was essentially flat -- a break for that county, which saw big drops earlier in the year. Sales fell everywhere except Harford, which posted a slight increase. (People bought 159 homes there in December 2007; last month -- 160.)

MRIS will release official year-end figures in February, once it's gotten all late comps in and scrubbed the numbers. But unofficially -- based off the numbers we have now -- I calculate that metro-area sales fell 28 percent in 2008 and average prices dropped 3 percent, to about $306,500. (Wonk alert: I'm comparing to the unadjusted figures for '07.)

About 21,500 homes changed hands last year, the lowest on record. It was just shy of 44,000 in 2005, the height of the buying spree, and nearly 29,000 in 1998, the first year MRIS tracked sales in the area.

Any thoughts about the '08 housing market? Experiences? Words of wisdom? Chime in.