TAMPA - Florida’s existing home prices surged again last month, rising by 18.6 percent over a year’s time to reach a median sale price of $175,000, new figures from Florida Realtors said.

The real estate trade group released its monthly sales and price report for August for existing single-family homes and condos and townhouses. Last month was the 20th consecutive month that the median sale price of a single-family home in Florida rose.

The number of existing single-family homes sold statewide last month also grew 12.5 percent, with Florida chalking up 20,933 closed sales, Florida Realtors reported.

Locally, prices in Tampa Bay area are growing at a faster clip, up 23.1 percent from the August 2012 price.

The number of existing single-family homes sold in the Bay area last month rose to 3,468, up 10 percent over this time last year.

The state’s supply of homes for sale had been shrinking for months, causing prices to surge and frustrating homebuyers, who had to compete to buy houses.