The News Tribune reports from Washington. "Home buyers take heart. New figures show Pierce County’s hot home market is continuing to cool off. A dramatic increase in the number of homes being offered for sale could bring a better balance to the supply-demand equation, say real estate experts."

"The total number of homes and condominiums on the market in Pierce County increased by more than 52 percent in October compared with October 2005, according to new figures from the Northwest MLS. At the same time, pending sales dropped 16.5 percent to 1,369 compared with 1,640 during October last year."

"'The evidence looks pretty convincing that the market has corrected itself, and we are experiencing a tilt to the buyers' side in negotiations,' said Tacoma Realtor Dick Beeson."

"Prices fell slightly from September’s median price of $276,670. That decline isn’t worrying agents. The prices and types of houses vary from month to month."

The Herald Net. "Home sales in Snohomish County continued to slip in October. 'Housing sales are down, but this has created a greater balance in the market between buyers and sellers,' said (broker) Lennox Scott. 'Since we've come off of the frenzy market of the past year, buyers have more selection, there's less competition for homes.'"

"Snohomish County fit the mold of most home sales trends in the Puget Sound area this fall. Listings rose significantly, by 27.5 percent in October; pending sales dipped, slipping 7.5 percent; and closed sales also fell, by 13.7 percent."

The Seattle Times. "Prospective homebuyers who've been frustrated by too much competition for too few homes, your time is now. The number of houses and condominiums for sale in the central Puget Sound region — King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties, was up from 27 to 59 percent last month, compared with a year earlier, according to statistics released Tuesday."

"Increasing inventory is giving buyers more clout, said (broker) Lennox Scott. 'We're adjusting from a frenzied market back down to a strong market,' Scott said. 'Buyers have selection.'"

"'I'm amazed the market was basically on steroids for as long as it was,' said Bob Melvey, a 30-year sales veteran. 'It makes sense it's going to have to take a rest. But even with this absorption rate, it's not as if the market has tanked and the sky is falling.'"

The Seattle PI. "More and more home sellers are chasing fewer and fewer buyers. The median home price in the city was $420,000, the same as July's price after two consecutive months of declines and represented the largest year-to-year increase since July. King County as a whole showed a similar trend."

"'They keep saying it's a buyers market,' Dariush Zand said while looking over a Montlake home. 'Prices haven't changed. I don't see any reduction.'"

"Zand, who is planning to move back to the area from San Jose, Calif., said prices have declined there. 'California's starting to look like a pretty good deal now,' he said."

"While looking at homes in Mount Baker, Hanni and Enrico Perella said selection, not price, was the problem. Having sold a San Francisco Bay Area home for a good profit, 'I could afford to buy some house,' Hanni Perella said. 'I'm just not finding what we need.'"

"The statistics show the market is returning to normal, said Glenn Crellin, at Washington State University. 'Yes, the inventory is going up,' he said. 'It's still sitting lower than it was three years ago.'"

"Buyers now can take time to search out the house they really want, rather than jumping at something that will do, Crellin said. 'Because of the period of frenzied activity, we sort of lost sight of what a normal market looks like and feels like.'"

"Not far from the house the Perellas were touring, Rob Mintz was wondering when his Mount Baker home would sell. 'It's really hard, I think, as a home seller to have any sense of what you're supposed to do,' he said. Mintz, who is moving to Baltimore, had put his house on the market several weeks earlier and had dropped the price from $625,000 to $599,000."

"'We bought a house (in Baltimore). Now we own two,' he said. 'That's a little bit stressful.'"

"Mintz cut the price again to $575,000 at the end of October, got an offer soon after and had a sales agreement Tuesday." "(Broker) J. Lennox Scott said sellers will need to focus more on price, presentation and marketing, he said. 'What's great about this market is buyers have selection.'"