Five of the six Atlanta offices of Century 21 Dwellings Realtors have been closed in a consolidation spurred by declining home sales.

Dwellings President Chris Ballard said the company will continue its operations at its Northlake location on Henderson Mill Road after closing offices in Midtown, Little Five Points, East Atlanta Village, Decatur and Conyers.

"It was a financial decision. I was losing money at every location," Ballard said.

Ten salaried workers were laid off as a result of the closings. Ballard said the move will save his company as much as $75,000 a month.

Other Century 21 franchises in metro Atlanta are not affected.

The market stress produced by declining home sales is taking a bite out of many real estate concerns like Ballard's.

Reggie McCrary, executive vice president of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, said membership in his organization has declined about 5 percent from the same period last year.

While many well-established agents are successfully navigating the downturn, McCrary said finding buyers in a soured economy has been much more challenging for new and part-time Realtors.

Ballard, who is active in the Atlanta Realtor community, said other real estate groups are seeing a similar decline.