As I look around Macomb County, Michigan, I detect no slowdown in the building of new homes. Several new developments in my area are still going strong in their building, with new developments cropping up every week. I also see many beautiful homes going on market because of lost jobs or relocations. These two visions do not jibe.

Do others find it as curious as I do that the building continues while For Sale signs increasingly pop up, not only in my neighborhood, but any other surrounding neighborhoods in Southeastern Michigan? My realtor friends tell me that times are tough here in Michigan - a fact fairly obvious in the number of homes that are not selling. That makes me fear for not only my realtor friends, but for those poor people who in many cases, are moving out of their homes, either because they were forced to relocate before their home sold, or because they simply could no longer afford their house payments. By moving out sooner, in many cases, the lawns then become neglected and weed-ridden, making it even harder for their homes to sell. A vicious cycle.

That could answer my own question about builders continuing to build. They are offering homes in the low $200,000s while the homes in the area are asking much more. Is that why builders are still building? Because they know they can sell their homes for less than the selling prices of existing homes? I'd like to hear from other realtors - not only in Michigan, but in other states as well.  How is the economy affecting your particular area, and have you found yourselves selling new construction more?

I just have a curious nature, and this subject interests me. How about you?