The Herald News reports from Illinois. "Real estate agents in Danville have decided that, as far as the local housing market goes, no news is good news. The local Realtors group says it no longer will submit sales data to the National Association of Realtors, after the area's median home prices were ranked lowest in the country in a couple of recent quarterly reports."

"Lagging 147 other metropolitan areas tracked by the national group has generated bad publicity for Danville, some of it from national news organizations and much of it unfair, said Debbie Borgwald, executive officer of the Danville Area Board of Realtors. 'We looked into it -- all avenues of what we should do,' Borgwald said."

"Walter Molony, a spokesman for the NAR, said local prices were driven down by 'bottom fishers,' investors buying when they sense that a market is at rock bottom."

The News Gazette. "'To use a median was not a true reflection of the housing sales market from last year to this,' said Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer. 'The information as released also made it seem as though housing values were decreasing and that, too, is not the case.'"

The Daily Herald from Illinois. "Despite danger signs of overbuilding, a batch of new, luxury hotel-condos is sprouting across the city. But whether this will work in Chicago isn’t yet clear, partly because the field is getting crowded, even before the doors to the first hotel-condo open, leading some to wonder whether demand can sustain so many new developments."

"'It is unclear how much space Chicago, which is already overbuilt in the luxury condo market, can absorb,' stated Diane Swonk of a Chicago-based financial services firm."

"This may explain why some smaller hotel-condo developments have already thrown in the towel this year. The Hotel Blake in Printer’s Row recently reversed a decision to convert to hotel-condos, prompting a lawsuit from a Florida company that had put down deposits on several units."

"Another planned conversion, the Aldens Hotel, went bankrupt after selling 50 percent of its units. The project has been abandoned and the building sold."

"Chicagoan Ken Jungwirth recently bought one of Elysian’s units and is looking forward to testing the waters when it opens in 2008. 'It’s a good excuse for us to get out of the house for the night,' the he said."

"This is Jungwirth’s first venture into the hotel-condo market and if this investment goes well, he said, he may consider buying a second unit, perhaps in a warmer climate."

"Trump is already having success with buyers purchasing multiple units, according to sales director Tere Proctor. 'I even have a doctor — a plastic surgeon — who bought three,' she said."

"In Illinois, the housing market continues to transition off the recent boom years for residential real estate. Statewide total home sales (including single-family and condominiums) were down 17.6 percent, compared to November 2005. Year-to-date home sales (were) down 16.3 percent."

"'The housing market is stabilizing and is shaping up to be the third best year for Illinois home sales. Conditions are ideal for buyers as we head into the home stretch for 2006 with more choices and room to negotiate with current inventory levels,' said Robert Zoretich, president of the Illinois Association of REALTORS. 'Sellers are offering competitive pricing in line with current market conditions.'"

From WBAY 2 in Wisconsin. "A growing number of people in Brown County aren't paying their bills, putting them in danger of losing their homes. Court records show home foreclosures were up more than 30 percent in 2006, and 2007 is starting off much the same way."

"With enticing offers like no-money-down loans, combined with falling home prices and affordable interest rates, it is easier than ever to get money for a home. But an increasing number of people, at least in Brown and other Wisconsin counties, aren't paying for the homes they buy."

"Financial planner Lloyd Leuthner says adjustable rate mortgages that have moved higher could be partly to blame. 'If you were barely making it before, you're not going to make it with a larger rate,' says Leuthner."

"Often, though, people are just buying big houses with big payments they just can't afford, Leuthner says. 'In some cases it's just pure irresponsibility, where you bought too much home, you leveraged or borrowed more money than you should have. And in that case, those people should really go out and get an extra job and just find a way to make those payments.'"

"As 2007 rolls in, the foreclosure trend doesn't show any signs of slowing. Tuesday there are a couple foreclosures in Brown County courts, and the sheriff's department says it's already scheduling property sales and auctions deep into March and April."