What do you see in your local housing market? Lending changes? "At a time when many lenders are pulling back on nontraditional mortgages, Wachovia Corp. is diving in deeper. The Charlotte bank argues that its 'Pick-A-Payment' mortgage gives customers more flexibility to manage their personal finances. But the product, amid turbulent times in the housing market, has drawn concern from the bank's investors, consumer advocates and even some employees."

"In recent weeks, current and former employees have told the Observer that they have felt pressure to sell Pick-A-Payment loans. 'It's amazing that all the big players are pulling out of the product, and we're getting the full court press,' said one employee who asked to have his name withheld because he was concerned about losing his job."

Seasonal observations? "For years in the business of selling houses, the weekend after the Super Bowl was the time when people started house hunting. Yet if this year is like the last two, the Super Bowl is now just the last game of the season, not the opening shot of the home- selling year."

"Indeed, there's a chance the peak buying activity of 2008 may have already happened. In both 2006 and 2007, escrow closings, where all the paperwork is done and buyers get the keys, peaked in March, according to DataQuick. That means the homes were likely sold sometime in January or early February."

Related industries? "Like many in his trade, Tony Vicari thought that when home construction began to dry up a year ago, it would lead to a boom in the remodeling sector. The logic was that after the housing bubble burst, consumers would fix up the home they already owned rather than build a new one. However, that hasn’t been the case."

"Figures obtained from the Lake Havasu City Development Services Department show residential additions and alterations fell by 164, or 13.5 percent, last year."

"Vicari anticipated that remodeling work would help sustain his business after home construction began to level off. More than a year later, he’s still waiting for a boom he admits will probably never come. 'It hasn’t picked up. It’s dropped off as much as the new construction,' Vicari said."

"The Hawaii automobile industry is braced for lower car sales this year, with vehicle registrations expected to drop 4.1 percent as the economy slows, according to the latest report by the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association."

"Total vehicle registrations are expected to barely exceed 57,000 due to extremely tight credit markets, rising unemployment, declining housing values, excessive consumer debt and high gas prices, the report said."

"'The market has now moved below its trend levels as economic events have taken a predictable toll on new vehicle sales,' the latest report said."

New construction? "Northwest Wichita's first high-end housing development in several years is on the way. Pier 37, a 29-unit development that markets itself as relaxation without leaving home...will include houses from $400,000 to $1 million around a 50-acre boating lake."

"Wichita real estate observers say it's the first northwest development dedicated to luxury homes in 10 to 15 years. 'To the best of my knowledge, there aren't a lot of high-end homes in that area,' said Stan Longhofer, director of Wichita State University's Center for Real Estate."

"While lower-end home sales softened slightly in late 2007, the Wichita market remains strong for luxury homes."

"'I believe there's a market for it,' said Sharon West, senior VP of Plaza Real Estate. 'Mainly because we lack that in the market, and we have people living on the west side who want to live in those types of houses. Not everyone wants to live on the east side.'"