The headlines were there. Bold and in your face!

On October 18th our local paper, The Concord Monitor, reprinted an article by David Brooks of the Nashua Telegraph.
The article was yet another Housing "State of the State" based on statistics and opinions of  NHAR

                                             
N.H. home sales increase while prices keep sliding
 Median price falls 8 percent in year (By David Brooks - The Telegraph)
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The article went on to point out that NH home sales were up 3% over the same quarter in 2008.  A spokesman for NHAR was quoted as saying he believed that the increase in sales plus the decrease in inventory will eventually lead to an increase in prices.

Now....I may be naive when it comes to the nuances of Marketing. And I, as much as most, want to believe that our Market is improving. But where is the fine line between Hype and Help? How much is wishful thinking? How much is "if we build it they will come"?

These types of Headlines are not only local..... you can hear about how "it's getting better" on any given day in any News Publication or TV Network. Bits and pieces of positive news blown completely out of proportion ....3 little pixels presented as the whole picture.

I think we will all agree that sales have seen improvement these past few months....it's amazing what the promise of $8,000 will do! And yes, I do believe the Inventory has dropped... Bargain Sale foreclosures, some loosening of Lender hurdles and $8,000 will help with that.

But that isn't the whole picture! The articles fails to mention the new Foreclosures anticipated because of ARM's resetting this year, the new Foreclosures anticipated as unemployment starts to effect Mortgage payments. They also ignore the plight of people on fixed incomes who can no longer wait it out....and are forced to sell.
None of these "News" sources point out that it has taken years for us to borrow, spend, speculate and over-extend ourselves into this position. And we are not going to wake up some sunny morning and find it all has passed. That's just not going to happen

I for one want them to tell it like it is....I'm a big girl, I can take it.
I want to be able to tell my Sellers that they need to be making decisions on what is now....not on what someone is telling them "is coming"
My Buyers on the other hand, are beyond being sucked in anticipating a "bargain".  They have developed a lase' fare attitude and are taking their time.  At this point I'm thinking the only thing that could make them take note would be a rise in Interest Rates!

Ordinarily I am not a pessimistic person, and when it comes to my business....I appreciate an occasional infusion of Hope. But lately....in my humble opinion....it's really starting to look like Hype