The Baltimore Sun reports from Maryland. "Despite signs and talk nationally of a slow recovery in housing construction, Harford County is experiencing one of its slowest years since the nationwide slump began six years ago. 'I would say just from my perspective the residential housing market – from the perspective of custom building – is still nothing at all like what we are accustomed to,' said Bill Minton is president of Jarrettsville Builders. 'There is no question it is just a different place and time that I believe is the new norm and not a transition back to something that once was.'"

The Connection in Virginia. "The June market in Northern Virginia continues the trend of sales numbers coming in just under those from one year ago at this time, but the signs of a stable market have led to an increase in sellers planting signs on their lawns. Active listings continued to show an increase this month compared with 2013. Listings were up 47 percent over last year, with 4,777 active listings in June, compared with 3,247 homes available in June 2013."

"The housing affordability may continue to be a challenge in the region, said Mary Bayat, 2014 chair elect of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. 'While the slightly rising home prices indicate an improving market, people are just not making quick decisions to buy,' she said. 'It is all about managing expectations,' said Lorraine Arora, Managing Broker at Long & Foster Real Estate in Springfield. 'Some buyers are nervous. When houses are priced correctly, homes will sell.'"

The Daily Press in Virginia. "Homes sales are rebounding, and residential home inventory is approaching healthy levels, signaling a recovering housing market across Hampton Roads, according to Real Estate Information Network Inc. New residential construction sales fell by 17.33 percent, from 300 new home units recorded in June 2013 to 248 units in June 2014. The region's median sales price is currently $217,500, down 3.33 percent from June 2013, the report said. Inventory supplies for residential home sales is currently 6.98 months, up 7.88 percent from June 2013's 6.47 months, according to the report, meaning the market may be transitioning from a buyers to seller's market."

"Chantel Ray, owner and broker-in-charge of Virginia Beach-based Chantel Ray Real Estate, said that as more homes come on the market, more potential buyers will be looking at new residences in the region. 'It's become a buyer's market and a seller's market all at the same time,' Ray said of the region's realty market. 'A lot of buyers are out, and inventory is slightly down.'"

"The total number of June active residential listings was 12,336 residences in all seven of the region's cities, including Newport News and Hampton. That's up 12.04 percent from 11,010 active listings recorded in June 2013."

Richmond Biz Sense in Virginia. "A local homebuilder stands to lose 32 residential lots spread across nine area subdivisions to foreclosure in the coming weeks. Jonathan Hauser, an attorney with Troutman Sanders in Virginia Beach, said his client Union First Market Bank is foreclosing on the properties that are owned by local builder Hallmark Home Builders Inc. The telephone number listed for Hallmark on its website is no longer accurate. Attempts to track down a representative of the company were unsuccessful."

"'We’ve had two or three years of really, really low interest rates,' said Hauser. 'At this point in the business cycle, this is unusual.'"

The Citizen Times in North Carolina. "Buncombe County is down to 248 foreclosure filings so far this year, from the peak of 1,376 in 2010. But Tom Luzon, who heads the Mortgage Protection Program for Western North Carolina, is still worried. A shrinking but still sizable shadow inventory of homes that are headed toward foreclosure haunts the improving real estate market. He still sees a steady stream of clients coming into the offices applying for the Mortgage Protection Program assistance in last-ditch efforts to keep from losing their homes."

"The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has estimated that 55 percent of all active foreclosures are now more than two years delinquent. But faced with losing money on a foreclosure, banks may delay that process for a number of reasons. 'When unfortunate circumstances hit a family and they want to stay in their home, we'll work with them until they can catch up. We may even do a modification to the mortgage as far as the term or the interest rate,' said Dana Stonestreet, CEO of HomeTrust Bank, the area's largest community bank with the highest share of mortgages. 'In that case, we don't move fast.'"

"While the worst of the recession and its aftermath may be receding, more homeowners are only a paycheck or two away from financial difficulty, even disaster. Luzon points to the recent shutdown at Stanley Furniture, Graham County's largest employer, with 400 workers out of a paycheck. Some of those furniture workers may fall behind on mortgages and run the risk of foreclosure. 'Where's the end?' Luzon said. 'Nobody has a crystal ball, but we're likely to see problems until the average wage earner can afford an average priced home.'"

The Fayetteville Observer in North Carolina. "It's a renter's market in Fayetteville. With languishing home sales in recent years, frustrated property owners have increasingly put their homes up for rent, flooding the housing market with new rentals. 'Our vacancy rate has gone up over the past two years,' said Chet Oehme, whose company manages more than 1,200 homes and a 72-unit apartment complex. 'With so many rentals on the market, we've had to lower the rent in many subdivisions,' Oehme said."

"Alex Townsend, the broker in charge of Townsend Real Estate's rental department, said his company also has had to drop some of the rental prices and often suggests property owners avoid increasing rents on lease renewals. 'After 12 months, they want to raise the rent,' Townsend said. 'Usually that runs people off because there are a lot of other options out there.'"

"Renter-occupied homes increased over the following two years, making up nearly 52 percent of units, according to 2012 Census estimates. Statewide, the rental rate grew to 34.6 percent. The vacancy rate grew as well, to 13.6 percent of the Fayetteville's estimated 89,642 homes and 14.7 percent statewide. All this means that consumers can be choosier about where they live. 'Before, tenants would look at maybe three houses,' Oehme said. 'Now they look at maybe five or six.'"