A report from the Orlando Sentinel in Florida. "Orlando neighborhoods saw a continued decline in for-sale signs last month, driving greater competition among buyers and holding prices steady at time of year when they usually soften, a new report shows. Debra Wingo, broker for the Selby Group, said rates have risen in the last week. She said an Orlando couple was shopping for houses as rates went from 3.5 percent to 4 percent in recent weeks, capping her buyers at $250,000. 'A half point does make such a difference, especially for first-time buyers,' Wingo said. 'We thought we could go $265,000 to $270,000.'"

From MarketWatch on Texas. "I had to have one of the most difficult discussions a Realtor can have with his seller client last week. The conversation about reducing the price of their home and the discussion about the market leveling off and potentially dropping soon. I knew a turn in Dallas real estate was coming, but no seller wants to hear it. Some of the telltale signs were the emails at the end of September and the beginning of October from builders offering 5% commission if one of our buyers purchased their new builds. Normally it is 3%, or 4% if they are getting desperate."

"The Texas Association of Realtors released its statewide Quarterly Housing Report, which stated there is a 'cool off' from the 5-year boom. If you watch any of the 'Million Dollar Listings' shows you will hear the same complaint. There is too much new construction and with too much supply, the prices drop. This oversupply is only true for high-end, new construction builds but this is a microcosm of a macrocosm. This is the beginning of a slow down."

"A buyer's market is looming and sellers are scrambling to offload their real estate before the buyer's market becomes a reality. Conservative, long-term investors have been sidelined for years because capitalization rates were 5% or even less. It has been impossible to stomach the $1 million apartment complex that only brings in $30,000 after all expenses are paid. And yet, this is what is available in the current market. Buyers are starting to put their foot down because they are no longer worried about 6 other offers flying in."

From Crain's Chicago Business in Illinois. "As new luxury apartment towers in downtown Chicago fill up, they're doing it at the expense of their older competitors. Landlords are starting to feel the impact of an historic building boom that is adding thousands of apartments to the downtown market. The occupancy rate at Class A buildings fell to 92.2 percent in the quarter, down from 94.8 percent in the second quarter and 93.7 percent in third-quarter 2015, according to the report. The Class A occupancy rate, which does not include buildings in their lease-up phase, hasn't been that low since late 2009."

"Downtown landlords may need to get used to a weaker market over the next couple of years as supply exceeds demand. Developers will complete a record 3,830 apartments in downtown Chicago this year; another 4,500 in 2017; followed by 4,200 in 2018, according to Appraisal Research. That represents a 39 percent increase in the number of downtown apartments. 'Where we're at right now is not surprising,' said Appraisal Research Vice President Ron DeVries. 'Next year is going to be a tough year. There are a lot of units coming online.'"

The Los Angeles Times on California. "With home prices and rents rising in Southern California, developers are busy building houses, condos and apartments – particularly in downtown Los Angeles, where a residential building boom is underway. So what does an unexpected Trump presidency mean for the housing market? Major cities across the country, particularly Los Angeles, are experiencing a building boom in their downtown areas — a construction wave that has primarily been focused on rental housing."

"It’s been driven by an improving economy in those cities, low interest rates and the declining rate of home ownership. In downtown Los Angeles, there are more than 6,000 apartments under construction."

"To the extent Trump’s policies help economic growth, the commercial real estate market will benefit, even if interest rates rise, said Stuart Gabriel, director of UCLA's Ziman Center for Real Estate. But even before the election and the talk of easing the regulatory burden, real estate observers were starting to question how long the current construction boom in cities, including Los Angeles, could last given the pace of development. 'Some of those markets may be coming close to overbuilt,' Gabriel said."

The Real Deal on New York. "It’s been a quiet week when it comes to discounts on Manhattan’s most expensive properties. The biggest price chop was at a co-op unit at the Carlyle Hotel. The four-bedroom apartment, which features enviable views of Central Park and Manhattan, was reduced from $19.7 million to $17.9 million, a discount of 9 percent. This Carlye Hotel co-op was first listed in April last year for $22.5 million. But it didn’t sell, and five months later it was removed from the market. The apartment was relisted in January for $19.7 million, but was taken down again in August. Last week, it reappeared on the market, this time with a slightly more subdued asking price of $17.9 million."

"48 West 85th Street - Previous Price: $13 million, current Price: $12.2 million ($1,584 per square foot). Percentage Drop: 6 percent. Built in 1886 for the Lehman banking family, this townhouse has 16 rooms across 7,700 square feet. The property was first listed in September for $13 million, but was reduced by 9 percent last week."

"George Vanderploeg, Steffen Kral and Charles Vanderploeg of Douglas Elliman have the listing. 'We tested market briefly at the $13 million mark. We thought it was a little high but we wanted to make sure,' George Vanderploeg told The Real Deal. 'It’s like fishing, you change the bait once in awhile. It bugs me when brokers and owners don’t test the market, and they end up underselling the property.'"