Business in brief: Home sales rising in West

Los Angeles – Home sales in the Western region of the country posted a 9 percent annual increase in May as homebuyers jumped on low interest rates and falling prices, according to two reports released Tuesday.

Foreclosures and other distressed sales continued to drag down the median home sales price in the West. It tumbled more than 30 percent from May of last year to $197,700 – the biggest drop in any region. That helped pull the national median down nearly 17 percent to $173,000, the National Association of Realtors said.

Nationally, sales rose slightly from April to May, but were roughly 7 percent below year-ago levels, without adjusting for seasonal factors.

Home sales in the West have posted annual increases every month going back to at least last summer, when many first-time homebuyers and investors began snapping up sharply discounted bank-owned properties in Arizona, Nevada and California.

Associated Press

Production jobs leaving CdA

A Coeur d’Alene cleaning equipment supplier is eliminating 40 local jobs as it moves production to Mexico over the next six to eight months to save money.

Nilfisk-Advance Inc., the Minnesota-based maker of products including riding floor scrubbers, is keeping 22 administrative positions at its U.S. Products site in Coeur d’Alene.

But 40 manufacturing jobs are being shifted to Queretaro, Mexico, over the next several months, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported.

U.S. Products is shifting the local jobs to the Mexican location to cut costs.

Workers at the Coeur d’Alene site have produced carpet cleaning, hard surface cleaning, and restoration equipment for more than 20 years.

Associated Press

Event offers interview tips

Job seekers can learn interview skills at a free workshop tonight in Coeur d’Alene.

Toastmasters International will present the workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Coldwell Banker building, 2000 Northwest Blvd.

It will cover tips and techniques for job interviews and offer a panel discussion.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization with a network of clubs dedicated to helping people become more effective communicators and stronger leaders.

For information, contact Todd Cavanagh, (208) 699-3719.

Staff report