What do you see in your local housing market? Foreclosures? "Across the state, those who advise Vermonters facing foreclosures say they are starting to see a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking assistance — particularly among those who have subprime mortgages from out-of-state banks. 'The canary is coughing at this point,' said George Mathias, director of home ownership programs for the Northeast Kingdom's Gilman Housing Trust."

"The first foreclosure tour of its kind in the Midwest will take real estate buyers to 20 Omaha homes on Sunday. In late February, a third of Nebraskans were behind in their payments, state data shows. 'I know of a home right now out in west Omaha that's listed at $325,000 that they paid over $400,000 for just two years ago,' said real estate agent Mike Pettid."

Legal changes? "City Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to ban panhandling in downtown, part of an effort to revitalize the city and compete with other major metropolises for tourists and business dollars. The area has several unfinished condo projects and city leaders want to insure the city draws and keep new residents, especially during the housing crisis."

"'If we're serious about bringing about a standard for downtown that we would like to see - that we see in other cities - it's time for us to act,' said Miami City Commissioner Joe Sanchez."

New marketing? "One of the more subtle signs of the shift in the housing sector can be found in my mailbox. For the last few years, I've been buried in piles of books promising to show everyone and their brother how to get rich in the real estate market."

"And now that subprime mortgages have wound up as one of the worst Wall Street investments since Studebaker stock...the few property investment tomes I see these days have a definite funerary air."

"'Making Big Money Investing in Foreclosures Without Cash or Credit,' proclaims one title. 'Finding Foreclosures: An Insider's Guide to Cashing In on This Hidden Market,' shouts another."

Lower prices? "These days Roger Lebbin, the Mid-Atlantic Builders president may have more frowns than smiles. The slumping housing industry has forced him to change a business model that until now has worked well. One way Lebbin is 'fighting back,' as he calls it, is offering buyers the chance to negotiate prices."

"'It’s the first time in 20 years we’ve done this,' said Lebbin, who grew up in Bethesda. 'Today we are doing that because all of our competitors are doing it. And I think it’s unfortunate, but customers now expect it.'"

"That’s because Mid-Atlantic’s inventory, which includes mostly homes in the $500,000-to-$1 million range, reached 19 homes earlier this year. 'That’s the largest inventory we’ve ever had,' said Lebbin."

"'You’re never going to see this again. This is a buyers market — it’s a great time to buy,' he said. ''If you looked at graph [marking on a piece of paper], and this is price, and this is time, we saw over a long period of time the market went up steadily. Then I’d say in Washington over the last part of 2006 and all of 2007, this trend line has been heading down and it’s been going downward by a big chunk.'"

"'Lately we’ve been bouncing around at what most people think is the bottom ... but nobody really knows where the bottom is.'"