Faced with flat sales and a deep recession, Howard Hanna is offering its own antidote in an effort to calm prospective buyers.

The real estate company unveiled a program yesterday that could provide buyers with $1,500 a month for up to six months if they lose their jobs within the first year of purchasing a home through Howard Hanna. The money can be used to pay any bills, not just the mortgage.

Helen Hanna Casey, president of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, said the firm decided to offer the protection after hearing again and again from potential buyers who were worried about losing their jobs given the state of the economy.

"We really wanted something that gave people the security to take the next step," Ms. Casey said.

Howard Hanna rolled out the program the same day RealSTATs announced that home sales in the metropolitan Pittsburgh market fell 33 percent last month compared to February 2008.

In addition, the money spent on home purchases fell 34.1 percent, from $217 million in February 2008 to $143 million last month.

"Even considering one less business day, we're still seeing a significant drop in the number of home sales and dollars spent on homes for February," RealSTATs Vice President Daniel Murrer said.

The median price for a home in Allegheny County dropped nearly 1 percent in February, from $98,150 to $97,230.

The median price also dropped in Westmoreland County, although Beaver, Butler and Washington counties posted gains, with Beaver leading the way at 12.1 percent.

Ms. Casey said Howard Hanna sales have been "pretty flat" lately, in part because of the lack of new listings in the marketplace.

But she added there still appears to be lots of interest in home buying, with as many as 25 to 35 people showing up at some open houses. She said the income protection program is designed to help overcome one of the obstacles that have held back some potential buyers.

The program applies only in sales in which the seller agrees to supply $329 to pay for the base insurance premium that would provide protection for the buyer. In cases where the seller did not want to participate, there would be no income protection for the buyer.

Nonetheless, Ms. Casey said the initial reaction from sellers has been positive.

"It gives our sellers something that separates their houses, makes them saleable more quickly, and at the same time gives the buyer the comfort they need," she said.

"We help our homes sell faster by taking the worry off the shoulders of buyers right now."

To qualify for the policy, the buyer must have a job for at least six months. If the person should lose his or her job, the $1,500 a month would be paid for a maximum of six months.

Howard Hanna isn't the only company that is offering protection to uneasy home buyer.

In the Philadelphia area, Russo Real Estate is offering up to $1,500 a month in assistance to home buyers who lose their jobs within a year of purchasing their property through the company.

Service First Mortgage in Texas will pay up to $1,800 in mortgage payments for six months if the buyer loses his or her job in the first 24 months after purchasing the home. To qualify, the buyer must pay a one-time $525 fee.

Locally, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services does not offer the type of protection Howard Hanna announced and is not considering it at present, a spokesman said. Prudential representatives could not be reached for comment.