WASHINGTON — The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose 0.4 percent in January compared with December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.92 million, the second-highest sales pace since November 2009, when a temporary home buyer tax credit boosted sales.

The median price for a home sold in January was $173,600, a 12.3 percent increase from a year ago.

The supply of homes for sale dropped to nearly an 8-year low in January.

The inventory of homes for sale is 25.3 percent below the level a year ago, when there was a 6.2-month supply of unsold homes.

In December, sales had declined to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.9 million from 4.96 million in November, according to revised figures released Thursday. The December drop was linked, in part, to the tight supply of homes.