Tampa Bay area home sales rose for the 8th consecutive month in April, but prices continue to suffer from the drag of foreclosures.

According to the Florida Association of Realtors, single-family home sales in the Tampa area totaled 2,326 in April, up 11 percent from the 2,087 sales in April 2008.

The median sales price in April was $135,200, a drop of 23 percent from last year's $176,000.

Pricing pain was worse elsewhere in Florida. Pity the poor home seller in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. Its median single family home price dropped 57 percent in a single year, from $200,300 to $85,500. Can anyone say foreclosure fire sales?

Orlando's sales rose 38 percent year to year, nearly triple our sales increase, but in compensation prices fell 34 percent over the past year.

Perhaps I'm overreacting, but April's report marked the fourth straight month in which Tampa Bay prices have pretty much stagnated.

January's median price was $122,400. It kicked up a bit to $131,400 in February, rose to $135,800 in March and edged down to $135,200 in April.

Is this what a pricing bottom looks like? Or should we worry about a trough the size of Cape Coral's?