Just how bad is the market in your area?

Here in Chapel Hill the market is less robust than it could be, but nothing to cause any great concern. However, that is not true in many areas, such as two of my former places of residence California and Florida. It seems things are bad enough that some entrepreneurs are creating business based on teaching people the best way to walk away from their mortgage. I have even read where banks are walking away from properties in some areas of Cleveland, leaving the property to the government rather than pay taxes and fines on a property they can't unload. I prefer to be optimistic, it just makes for a better life. In the areas that saw unrealistically high prices, has the market stabilized? Is business turning around or are seminars on doing short sales more popular than ever?