The Bend Bulletin reports from Oregon. "A Portland developer proposed in January a nearly 300-unit, four-story hotel-condominium project. for Bend-based Brooks Resources Corp., which is developing the project. Brooks has seen a slowdown in Prineville's market in the last year, said Randy Jones, project manager."

"'We've looked at the last year and what's been selling and the price point of what's available,' he said. 'A lot hasn't sold because it's been so bloody expensive.'"

"Local real estate broker Mark Southworth called 2007 a 'regrouping year' for investors who have lost the incentive of lower-priced properties in Prineville compared with other parts of Central Oregon."

"'It's been a feeding frenzy the last two years,' Southworth said. 'Investors were getting 35 to 80 percent return on their money in a six-month period. Speculative buying was a driving force.'"

"'A lot of people are waiting to see the impact of Brooks because they have the capability of going really low (on price),' he said. 'It's hard to say what it's going to do to the housing market because right now people aren't buying.'"

"In Crook County, median housing prices rose to $198,000 in the first quarter of 2007, up 1.3 percent over the median price for all of last year. Meanwhile, residential housing has slowed year-to-date from 95 homes sold in 2006 to 40 homes sold in Prineville through Wednesday, according to Southworth."

The Register Guard. "The housing market continues to be a bit of a mixed bag in Lane County. The supply of homes on the market continues to grow, with more homes being listed and sales lagging."

"In March, 686 new Lane County listings appeared on the Regional Multiple Listing Service's rolls, up from 599 for the same month a year ago. That brings to just under 1,800 the number of houses that have come on the market so far this year, an increase of 15 percent over the first quarter of 2006."

"Deals closed on 347 home sales in March, down 9 percent from the same period a year ago. An additional 411 sales agreements were signed in March, also down from the year before, when 471 homes went under contract. That means buyers still enjoy more of an advantage in the market than they have for the past two or three years."

"On the coast, the Florence area reports a total of 375 active residential listings with RMLS. The area added 67 new listings in March, with 28 pending sales and 30 closed sales during that period."

The Tacoma Daily Index. "Though downtown Tacoma's residential construction boom shows promise, it fails to target young and first-time homeowners, according to a study." "The 120-page study notes that home buyers between 25- and 34-years-old represent a huge market segment, yet find it difficult to purchase homes that meet their taste and affordability standards."

"A high level of concern was reserved for the St. Helens neighborhood, where seven new developments with 596 apartments and condominiums are slated for 2007 and beyond. Deanna Sihon, principal and director of research and consulting at New Home Trends, said homes would need to be 'carefully released so as not to create an oversupply.'"

"The study also seeks to explain the demand for downtown housing development, and points to a lack of affordable, market-rate housing in King County. 'There was a shift 10 years ago due to affordability,' explained Sihon. 'People can no longer afford to live in King County.'"

"She pointed to statistics compiled in February that show the average list price for a detached home in King County equals $728,972; in Pierce County, the average list price is $415,047. Similarly, the average list price a condominium and townhome in King County is $513,438; in Pierce County, that figure is $372,900."