The Orlando realtors have the July numbers out. "The relative slowdown in housing sales predicted by economic experts has begun to show itself in Orlando, where the 2006 year-to-date tally has dropped slightly below that of the red-hot record year of 2005. The number of homes sold in July of 2006 did drop by 26.5 percent when compared to July of 2005."

"'After the tremendous two years we had previously,' says Orlando Regional Realtor Association President Beverly Pindling, 'it would be nearly impossible for 2006 to not exhibit a slip.' She says the proliferation of condo conversions on the market is absorbing housing demand"

"The increase in inventory continued its upward trend in July, with 6,862 homes listed in the MLS contributing to a total of 19,827 homes on the market. 'We expect to see the MLS inventory to increase or hold steady,' observes Pindling."

The Orlando Sentinel. "At the recent, slower sales pace, the inventory ballooned to the equivalent of 9.38 months' worth of homes on the market -- a figure not seen in more than nine years. The last time a backlog topped that was in February 1997."

"More homes plus slower sales equals mounting frustration for many home sellers. Ron Resch has been trying to sell his Lake County home for the past four months but conceded Monday that he is making no headway. 'I haven't had a single showing,' said Resch, who recently changed sales agents and cut his asking price from $425,000 to $395,000."

"In Seminole County, Susan and Bryan Teabout are trying to sell their Heathrow Woods home for about $1.3 million so they can relocate to Virginia Beach, Va. Although they have attracted only one offer since putting the home on the market in May, they are not ready to start worrying. 'There are a lot of homes out there, but not at this price range,' Susan Teabout said. 'We're in good shape, but obviously we would like to sell our house.'"

"Even sellers in great locations are having to cut their ambitious asking prices, often multiple times, yet many of them are reluctant to do so, said George Stringer, a sales associate with in Orlando."

"'We're having a time with sellers,' Stringer said. Even those homes in upscale areas such as Bay Hill in southwest Orange County, where Stringer lives, are not immune. Stringer noted that one Bay Hill house recently sold for $1.2 million, just above the asking price of $1.19 million, a rarity for a listing in today's weaker market."

"'But the full story on that property is that the price was reduced, numerous times,' Stringer said, and it still took nearly two years to sell. The original asking price was $1.45 million when the home was first listed, in November 2004."

"'The location is great,' Stringer said, but even so, the five-bedroom, four-bath golf-course home, built in 1978, is expected to be extensively remodeled to bring it up to date. 'Age is a question for a lot of these homes,' which were built in the 1970s and '80s, Stringer said."

"Developers at a shopping center conference in Orlando said Monday they expect more retail growth statewide, particularly in Central Florida. 'There are some clouds in the sky, but I don't think the sky is falling,' said Duane Stiller, during a panel discussion on the Florida market."

"Still, some developers sounded a note of caution. Seth Layton said he's concerned that rising interest rates, declining housing values, burgeoning credit-card debt and high gas prices may curb consumer spending. 'I did not drink any of the Kool-Aid back stage,' joked Layton. 'The question is,' he added, 'how long are people going to spend more than they make?'"