It's not all doom and gloom in the housing market.

For those who are interested in Maricopa County Arizona's southeast valley, here's some recent data to consider, as demonstrated in this article from the Arizona Republic's, Sept. 11, 2007 edition:

• Chandler, Mesa and the city of Maricopa had more single-family permits taken out for the first half of this year than they did during the same period in 2006.

• Prices for new homes have dropped into the $130,000s in Maricopa, which will likely entice more buyers.

• And although Gilbert's permit numbers are down, housing construction remains brisk.

This was written before the drop in interest rates. The next couple months should be key in determining whether this is a blip on the screen or the signs of an upward trend in housing activity.