Not being a real estate agent myself, I don't have actual, first hand experience in the local real estate market (Massachusetts/ New Hampshire).  My information comes to me in casual conversations with my customers as I am doing their real estate video tours. 

Much of my NEWS on the market comes to me via the box that runs constantly in front of me as I'm editing video, relaying the 'doom and gloom' economy.  Oftentimes, I want to shut it off because it doesn't "feel" nearly as bad as the television news talking heads portray it. I keep looking up to make sure the sky is not falling....

However, I also feel it would be slightly irresponsible to live in this world and not have a clue what is going on! 

On TV and in the newspapers, the world is imploding. I keep looking for the bread line, but I only see lines at Panera Bread!

I see stores who expanded too rapidly closing their doors, but I see plenty of lines of people purchasing goods at other stores.

The pundits keep telling me that real estate sales are down.  Way down... they keep falling.... down... further... it's not the end... it's not even NEAR the end....  prices are down.. they are falling, more... more, worst in history... and will fall even more next year..... 

I do realize that isolated areas like Phoenix, Florida, parts of California, etc. are definitely in bad shape - there is no question about that.  But they also saw crazy housing appreciation during the boom years!  It's no wonder they're paying the price today.

I also realize the northeast is probably in a better position than many parts of the country.

But this is what I hear -  this is reality -  just in the past couple of weeks in talking with my clients:

1. I met one yesterday who told me he is having his best year EVER in 10 years, and expects 2009 to be better. He's been in business for a decade. He's focusing his business on foreclosures. His business rocks!
2. Another one of my clients also is having his best year ever and is the highest grossing real estate team in his entire market. He focuses on high end luxury properties in Cohasset, MA.
3. I had lunch with another client today who has had a "bad year" this year (only $4M, about half of last year), but already has almost $4.5 in closings in place for early 2009! He works with very few foreclosures - avoids them like the plague.
4. A client I shot a video for today said 2008 was also her best year in the business so far.
5. A client a shot two videos for last week told me she has more business right now than she can handle - she sold one listing I filmed two days later - just a few days before Christmas. It was hardly even on the market. We had just had two feet of snow! (I filmed it as it was snowing!)
6. A client had a listing we filmed on Tuesday a few weeks ago, had a broker open house on Thursday (50 people attended) and 3 offers over the weekend, all at nearly full price.
7. Another client of mine, only in business for a couple of years, is the at the top of his market already!  He closed three properties very recently, all within 98 or 99% of asking price - all within days of going on the market. 
8. A client in Lexington MA just recently sold her $2.1M house in 50 days.  Not bad in this market at the end of the year and in that price range!
9. Active Rainer Kathleen Buckley just sold a house in Hopkinton MA in only 26 days....

Of course, I like to think 1) I only deal with the best of the best of the best .... and 2) they're selling homes because they do video tours!
Yup. A combination of both I think.

Now - how do we get the general public to see the REAL story versus the sensationalism that is portrayed on TV and in the newspapers?