Inman - "Southern California home sales plunge 25%" (9-19-06)

"Home sales in Southern California fell for the ninth straight month in August, as price levels appeared to be nearing a plateau, a real estate information service reported today."

"A total of 25,628 new and resale homes sold in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties last month, down 25.3 percent from 34,292 sales in August 2005, but up 12.8 percent from 22,712 sales in July, according to DataQuick Information Systems."

"The median price paid for a Southland home was $489,000 last month, up 2.7 percent from $476,000 in August 2005, but down 0.6 percent from July's $492,000. Last month's increase was the smallest since July 1999, when the $193,000 median also rose 2.7 percent from $188,000 a year earlier."