The local housing market showed signs of progress in September because the number of distressed properties sold through foreclosure or short sale declined from August.

According to the latest round of home sale statistics from the MainStreet Organization of Realtors, the total number of homes sold in the Tri-Cities in September also increased last month.

In the Tri-Cities of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia, the number of homes sold last month in the three communities combined climbed about 27 percent, from 77 homes in September 2011 to 98 last month, according to data from the MainStreet Organization, a trade group representing Chicago area real estate agents.