Area housing sales, prices both slipped in January.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

January closings on existing homes in Greater Columbus dipped 3.7 percent from the same month in 2000. The average selling price declined 8.3 percent, according to the Columbus Board of Realtors.

The real estate organization reports 901 single-family houses and condos were sold in January, vs. 936 sales 12 months earlier. The average sales priced dipped to $138,856 from last January's $151,363.

In a release, board President Barbara Lach attributed the …