At $668,300, the median price for previously owned single-family homes sold in May was up from $615,000 in April and the previous record of $650,000 set in March, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors.

The number of May single-family home sales also was up, rising 2 percent to 374 over 366 a year earlier.

May's increase in transaction volume ran counter to the broader trend of declining sales amid generally higher prices this year compared with last year.

However, the gain in the median price, which means half the sales were for more and half for less, was a more modest 10 percent over the May 2005 median of $610,000 compared with 13 percent to 22 percent year-over-year gains from January to April.

Condominium sales were down 13 percent to 605 last month from 692 a year earlier. The median condo sale price was $305,000 in May, up from $296,500 in April but below the record set in February at $315,000. The May condo median price was 16 percent higher than $265,000 a year earlier.