The Missoulian reports from Montana. "More and more condominiums are emerging in the commercially zoned areas of Missoula, ranging from new construction to apartment conversions. There are 210 condominiums currently on the market in the Missoula area, with list prices ranging from about $85,000 to about $585,000. Jeff Ellis, an agent selling the 42-unit Uptown Flats on Orange Street, said they've sold about 30 percent of their units, which range from $159,900 to $224,000."

"The units, which range from 613 square feet to 820 square feet. Monthly condo fees are about $177. 'People are taking a little more time making a decision,' Ellis said. 'We projected we would have this sold in six months to a year, and it could take two years. But that's just a guesstimate.'"

"With more onlookers than bidders, the owners of a restored Craftsman-style 'trout lodge' near Hamilton decided to cancel Monday's auction of their 3,500-square-foot home."

"Owners Larry and Mary Melia had hoped to generate excitement and a bidding frenzy for their ranch by choosing a 'no reserve' auction. But, moments before the event, they chose to exercise a clause allowing them to withdraw from the auction before the bidding commenced."

"'This isn't what we planned to do and no one is more disappointed than us,' said Larry Melia. 'Certainly, the public perception that real estate is in trouble has an effect.'"

"Several real estate agents said the canceled auction also reflects a weakening market for expensive homes in the Bitterroot Valley, where reportedly just one home sold for more than $1 million in the past six months. They said there is more competition these days for buyers of high-end homes, including about 40 homes currently listed for between $700,000 and $1.2 million."

"Bob Dunbar of Corvallis had registered to bid on the home. He said he was disappointed the auction was canceled, but said he understood the Melias' decision. 'I expected half the town to be on the lawn just to see it, if nothing else,' he said. 'With the number of people here, I would have jitters if I were the owner, too.'"

The Idaho Mountain Express. "Carey real estate became a hot commodity three or four years ago when spiking real estate prices in Hailey and Bellevue drove many home buyers out of the Wood River Valley market. In response, electrical contractor Craig Patterson developed Carey View Estates, the city's first subdivision. He said the 36 lots sold quickly in 2005."

"'We sold 11 lots in one day,' he said. 'The prices jumped from $30,000 to $50,000 and then to $75,000. It was overwhelming.'"

"Patterson said he would get three or four calls a month from people looking for lots. 'Now I don't get any,' he said."

The Idaho Statesman. "The credit crisis rocking the nation's lenders has banking customers in Boise seeking a safe place to keep their money."

"'The psychology has changed,' said Rob Perez, who opened his own bank, Western Capital Bank, just three months ago. 'People are no longer saying, 'How high are my returns?' They're saying, 'How safe is my money?'"

"He said a customer told him Monday morning that he was opening an account at Western Capital Bank because he knew the bank hadn't made any of the risky real estate loans now causing so much trouble for other lenders."

"'He said, 'I make an assumption that your loan assets are more conservative than (at) other banks,' said Perez. 'You haven't had time to book problem assets. That's the first time someone has come to me and made a decision on this basis.'"

The Bend Bulletin from Oregon. "Bend's 529 home sales during the six-month period from January through June were down 60 percent from the same period in 2005 and 39 percent from 2007."

"Prices have come down 'tremendously' the past six to eight months, said Julie DeVoe, a broker in Redmond. More offers are being made, but many of them are short sales, which require a bank's approval because the sales price is less than what is owed on the home, she said."

"'There are a lot fewer sales than last year,' DeVoe said. 'We're writing plenty of offers, but I'm wondering if they're going to close.'"

The Oregonian. "Through the first half of 2008, Portland-area homeowners reported 9,800 closed sales. That's down 34 percent from the same period a year ago. The Portland-area inventory of unsold homes remained at a high 9.5 months, according to the Regional MLS for Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill counties."

"Bill Conerly, a Lake Oswego economist, said he suspects that some homeowners aren't selling because they don't want to accept that their home values have dropped. 'Instead, people are saying, 'I'll wait until the market comes back,' Conerly said."

"The Portland market's trouble isn't because buyers can't get financing, Conerly said. 'We just built more housing than we needed,' he said."

"Clark County, Wash., continues to fare worse than the Portland area. The county reported a median price of $249,900 in June, a 6 percent decline from June 2007.'"

The Spokane Journal from Washington. "Businesses here that supply goods and services to the home construction market say as home building slows, they're looking to other markets within the construction industry to help sustain them during the downturn."

"'We all saw it coming,' Randy Hastings, president of Spokane-based R&R Heating & Air Conditioning Inc., says of the housing slowdown. 'Now, we'll just buckle down and hang on for the ride.'"

"Troy Varness, general manager at Fred's Appliance Inc., says...sales of appliances to builders for homes priced between $300,000 and $600,000 have slowed. 'We're hearing from our builders that the presold, build-to-suit homes are doing okay; it's the spec homes that are hurting everybody,' Varness says."

"Varness adds, 'Really, 2005 and 2006 were unrealistic. It was too much growth too fast and there were too many builders in the market.'"

The Bellingham Herald from Washington. "Whatcom County had a significant rise in the number of bankruptcy filings in June. The jump in June has had an impact on year-to-date numbers. In the first six months of 2008, there were 257 bankruptcy filings, up 41.2 percent compared to the first half of 2007. The filings include all types of bankruptcy chapters."

"Overall there have been 4,181 bankruptcy filings at the Seattle office through the end of June, up 33.2 percent compared to the same period last year."

"Whatcom County's unemployment rate took a significant jump in June, rising to the highest level in more than three years."

"Joe Giannamore, regional labor economist for the state, said the local unemployment rate is reflective of what's happening with the national economy, noting that the year-over-year change was the biggest jump since April 2002."

"'The drop-off (in job orders) really happened in May and June,' said Gary Smith, regional manager at WorkSource Northwest."f our services."

"Part of the drop can be tied to the slowdown in construction. During a time of year when the area traditionally ramps up its construction workforce, the total number of workers dropped from 8,000 in May to 7,800 in June. The number of people employed in construction in June was 500 less than for the same month two years ago."

"Giannamore said the slump in construction jobs is out of the norm. 'Whatcom County usually doesn't see a drop-off in construction jobs until September. Having it happen in June is something we need to watch closely,' Giannamore said."

The Province from British Columbia. "The mayor of Kaslo is calling for creation of a new property-tax class that distinguishes between full-time residents and absentee owners. Out-of-towners have bought up much of the affordable housing stock in the village, holding the property for future plans and often pulling it out of the rental market."

"The result, according to Mayor Jim Holland, is 'we have a shortage of housing here.'"

"Between January and April, the price of homes in the southeastern B.C. community doubled. 'Anything that's not a shack is going to be over $200,000,' Holland said."

The Vancouver Sun. "While British Columbia bucked a trend that saw Canadian home prices fall for the first time this decade, the province's real estate market is squarely in the buyer's court with inventory up and the volume of sales dropping by 36 per cent in June compared to the same period last year."

"Buyers here can expect to see prices flatten or even decline slightly, according to Cameron Muir, chief economist for the B.C.Real Estate Association. But if you're waiting to pick up a Vancouver home at rock-bottom prices, you'll be disappointed."

"'We don't expect to see a substantial price correction,' said Muir. 'It is perfectly reasonable to expect home prices will stay fairly flat or even decline a couple of per cent a year until affordability picks up.'"

"'We certainly see a large increase in the number of listings out there,' said Muir. 'In June, the number of active listings was almost 54-per-cent higher than it was a year ago. In Greater Vancouver, it is 53-per-cent higher.'"

"'We see demand coming off its record levels and we are seeing inventory levels beginning to swell,' Muir said. 'Some home sellers are going to need to sharpen their pencils in terms of pricing; no longer can you price your home in relation to the accelerating market conditions of the past and expect to sell it in a reasonable period of time.'"

"With little upward pressure on home prices, the market now is tilted in favour of home buyers instead of sellers. In B.C. and Vancouver, it is a buyer's market."

"Muir said recreational real estate purchases are also feeling the pressure as potential buyers find the equity in their homes not climbing as fast as in the past."

The Anchorage Daily News from Alaska. "Right now in Anchorage, it takes longer to sell a house than it has anytime in the last eight years, according to MLS statistics."

"Common in the Lower 48, staging is gaining attention in Anchorage thanks to TV shows like HGTV's 'Get It Sold' and 'Designed To Sell.' Since the start of the year, at least three home-staging businesses have opened here. 'It's something Anchorage is sort of behind the curve on,' said Clair Ramsey, a longtime Anchorage real estate agent."

"Jan Pennington retired last year after working 26 years in the real estate business, where she learned firsthand that staging can bring quicker sales and higher prices."

"It's a buyer's market here right now. Housing prices have dropped only marginally, said Niel Thomas, a longtime Anchorage real estate agent, but there are plenty of houses for sale and it's taking longer to sell them. That means it's a stager's market too."

"But no one's getting rich, at least not yet. 'This is our second job,' Pennington said. 'My first job is Social Security.'"

"While many property owners' renovations are giving downtown Palmer a face-lift, that may be a bit deceiving regarding construction overall. At the City Council's meeting July 8, Sandra Garley, director of community development, gave the mayor, city manager and the council some grim news: The number of building permits issued so far this year is at a 10-year low."

"Through June, only 50 permits had been issued to builders. That compares to a high of 80 for the same period in 2003."

"Even though there weren't many permits granted in 1999, the value of the property being built was $14.5 million compared to this year's $2 million."

"The story's similar in Wasilla. '"We're experiencing the same thing,' city planner Jim Holycross, said Monday. 'In June we had six permits, and this month we have two. Of course the month isn't over.'"

"With building in slow mode, those who supply lumber, paint, wiring and all the other stuff, are feeling it as well."

"'It's less than before, but everybody's not doing as much business as last year,' said Jason Crist, assistant manager at Spenard Builders Supply in Palmer. 'We had two or three good years there.'"