Sales of existing homes nationwide managed to eke out a small increase in November, but the price of homes sold fell for a record fourth consecutive month, a real estate trade group reported Thursday.

Both the number of sales and prices declined in the Lawrence area, according to a separate report.

The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously owned homes nationwide rose 0.6 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.28 million units. That followed a 0.5 percent sales increase in October and marked the first back-to-back sales gains since the spring of 2005.

November sales were down in the Lawrence area, according to a report from the Douglas County Appraiser’s Office.

A total of 90 single-family homes were sold countywide last month, down nearly 24 percent from 118 sales a year earlier. The average price of $193,550 was down 7.5 percent from the $209,286 average paid in November 2005.