ECONOMY
<i> Times Staff and Wire Reports</i>
L.A. County Home Sales Rise Sharply: The number of existing and new homes that sold in September rose 16.1% from the same month last year, and the median price dropped 5.3% to $162,000, according to Dataquick Information Systems. September sales in Orange County dropped 11.5%, and the median sales price declined nearly 6% to $193,000. Overall, Southern California home sales in September crept up 1.1% as the median price fell 5.3% to $161,000.
