A reader posted this Review Journal article. "A slowdown in the housing market is rippling through Las Vegas, with layoffs by home builders, mortgage and title companies and other real estate-related occupations. Don DelGiorno, president of KB Home's Nevada division, said the company has reduced its local staff by about 10 percent, though it would be difficult to nail down an exact number."

"'Sales are being challenged and different builders are feeling different kinds of pains,' DelGiorno said. 'With in-migration and jobs, we'll move through this inventory when people are buying their homes to live in. Now there's a concept.'"

"Dennis Smith, president of Home Builders Research, said of the layoffs: 'It's normal in this part of the housing cycle we're in, the back side of the hump. Anytime you have that, there's going to be some cutbacks. That's the result of added staff that was put in place on the upside of the hill.'"

"Washington Mutual, a home mortgage company with a large presence in Las Vegas, notified 1,400 U.S. workers last week that they would be cut from the payroll as part of a 'cost-saving strategy.' Most of the layoffs were in Washington and Florida."

"Nevada Title Co. has reduced its staff by about 25 percent since peaking at more than 300 employees during the refinance boom of 2002 and 2003, President Robbie Graham said. 'We're a locally owned company. We have to stay lean and mean,' she said."

"Another field seemingly poised to shrink through attrition is real estate agents. 'There's going to be a lot of them cryin' the blues,' Smith said."

"The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors doubled its membership to about 15,000 over the last five years as people from all walks of life saw an opportunity to cash in on the housing boom. 'It was a new challenge,' (realtor) Debbie Smith said. 'It seems like you come out here and everybody's in the business. Realtors, title companies..everything revolves around real estate and development.'"

"Although sales of new homes in Las Vegas slowed 9.1 percent in April, the median price rose 18 percent to $133,117, statistics from Las Vegas-based SalesTraq show. One major difference that's keeping new home prices up today from last year is that almost every builder is offering buyer incentives, ranging from a few thousand dollars on entry-level homes to $100,000 on luxury homes, SalesTraq President Larry Murphy said."