Maine home sales dropped more than 12 percent in May from a year ago, while average sale prices fell by nearly 6 percent. But real estate agents say they’re not overly worried.

“Honestly, this is about what was expected,” said Sheryl Gregory, a real estate agent with Homestead Realty in Winthrop. “There was a lot of snow this year, and homes don’t sell as much in March and April. We’re starting to see things pick up.”

Tonya Allen with ERA Dawson Bradford in Bangor agreed.

“I think sales will increase, but the prices likely will continue to decrease,” she said. “It’s still a great market.”

The state numbers provided by Maine Real Estate Information System Inc. were slightly better than national figures from the National Association of Realtors, but not much. Nationwide, home sales in May were down 14.5 percent and the median price was down 6.8 percent.

Real estate agents in Maine sold 969 single-family homes in May, compared to 1,106 in May 2007. During the same period, the median sales price fell from $193,000 to $182,000.

The statistics from the Maine Realtors group offered more detailed information in its rolling quarter chart, which tracked sales between March 1 and May 31, 2007, and compared them with the same period this year.

Over that period, the state saw a 20 percent drop in sales. Penobscot County, however, was among the least hardest hit, with only a 9 percent decrease. York, Androscoggin and Cumberland counties in southern Maine saw housing sales plummet at a much higher rate, all by more than 22 percent.

As far as pricing goes, five of Maine’s 16 counties actually saw increases in the median price, including Aroostook, Franklin, Waldo and Washington. Hancock, Lincoln and Knox counties saw the biggest drops in average single-family home price.

Real estate agent Juanita Bean-Smith of Farmington said despite the falling numbers, real estate is still an excellent asset.

“It’s one of the few investments you can actually use and enjoy during your ownership, and no one is making any more land,” she said in a statement.

Gregory said now is a great time to buy because interest rates are low and prices are reasonable.

“People have been looking and keeping an eye on deals, but it’s just a matter of pulling the trigger,” she said.

Gregory predicted that the rolling figures for the next quarter would reflect increases over last year, both in number of units sold and median price.

Allen said homeowners who bought in the last few years might benefit from keeping their homes off the market.

“Anyone who bought in the past few years should hang on until the market [stabilizes],” she said. “If they’re holding out for the best sale price, buyers will likely find something cheaper.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.