A trio of reports on housing markets from the northeastern US. From Pennsylvania, "Home sales stalled in York and Adams counties in the first five months of the year. 'It's been flat, I'd characterize it as a high plateau,' said Steve Snell of Realtors Association of York and Adams Counties. 'We're at a point where we're staying constant at that high level. We can't continue to grow as we have and not have some negative consequence.'"

"Jacob DeRooy, a consulting economist for the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, sees it differently. 'It's evident what's happening: We have a softening of the real estate market after five years of booming sales and booming prices,' he said. 'The prices of houses have been rising at a rate well above that of general inflation that could not be sustained for very much longer,' he added."

"The inventory, or number of homes listed, went up 73 percent from last year. But that's not because of a slower market, Snell said, but rather because of a 43 percent increase in new listings."

From Connecticut. "July might represent a turning point for the housing market and a good time for bargain hunters, some real estate agents said. 'That big spring market never came,' said realtor Jerry Dee. 'There is a lot of inventory.'"

"The number of homes on the market has about doubled in the last year, and it's not because more people are selling. In some cases prices are falling. In most cases, sellers might shave $10,000 to $12,000 off the price of their home to make it more attractive to the buyer. But in one case, a $449,000 home in Danbury was reduced to less than $400,000, said Don Fleming, a Realtor in New Milford."

"'This is a real transition point. July is a moment of truth. Sellers may face wake-up calls if they priced their house at the growth rate of previous years and they are not getting offers,' said Fleming."

"Dee is not sure he would call it a buyer's market. 'It's an in-between market,' he said. 'I'm still out there every day. I have enough customers. I just have to spend more time with them.'"

The Boston Herald. "Three times hasn’t been the charm for would-be condo seller John Ryle. He’s cut the asking price on his Beacon Hill one-bedroom three times in as many months, but hasn’t gotten a single offer."

"So this week, the 35-year-old told his real estate agent to look for potential renters in addition to buyers. 'We just feel like maybe it’s a better idea financially to hold onto the place and see how the market looks next year,' said Ryle, who is trading up to a Redding house."

"Ryle isn’t alone. Real estate agents say more and more sellers who can’t line up buyers are deciding to look for tenants instead. 'I can find a tenant to pay $1,500 a month for a one-bedroom Boston condo with my eyes closed,' said Ryle’s agent. 'If someone has a mortgage below $2,500 or even $3,500 a month, they can cover that through renting and move on with their lives.'"

"Sellers say receiving rent beats accepting low-ball offers or carrying two mortgages. 'We’re thinking: ‘Why not just rent it and hold out for the real estate market to turn around?’ It always does eventually,' Ryle said."