It's Friday desk clearing time for this blogger. "Miami condo sales continue to stagnate, new sales figures show. In a sober tone, ISG principal Craig Studnicky spoke to a crowd of about 500 real estate agents and industry insiders about the state of the preconstruction condo market in South Florida, referencing the challenges agents and developers have faced and the 'lack of urgency' among buyers in 2016. 'It’s really, really tough to sell real estate when you can’t find a sense a urgency,' Studnicky said. Studnicky called out various news reports about the flood of tens of thousands of condos coming to market in Miami, and the claim that buyers are 'better off waiting.' 'How the hell do you close a condo with that kind of press?' he asked the crowd."

"Cipriani in Midtown was abuzz Tuesday night as hundreds of the city’s most powerful brokers, developers and lenders descended on law firm Fried Frank’s annual holiday extravaganza. But while the mood was undoubtedly festive, even the brokers had to admit the market outlook seemed a little grimmer than it did this time last year. Toll Brothers’ David Von Spreckelsen complained about how excess condo inventory was hurting sales velocity in Manhattan. 'There’s just so many apartments out there,' he said."

"During Donald Trump’s campaign, he promised a mass deportation of all illegal immigrants, which could have an impact on housing markets across the country, especially Arizona. According to a Pew Hispanic report, in 2014 there were an estimated 300,000 unauthorized immigrants living in Arizona. Mark Stapp, executive director of the masters of real estate development program at the W.P. Carrey School of Business at Arizona State University, said that sending so many people out of the state could create a large over-supply of housing. 'You’re probably going to see some playback in capital rushing to apartments,' Stapp said."

"Job growth in the East Bay is also expected to slow to between 1 percent and 1.5 percent over the next year, down from 2.7 percent growth between October 2015 and October 2016. Beacon’s economists blame the slowing job growth on a familiar culprit — higher housing costs. 'Net migration is expected to dramatically decline over the next few years,' Beacon Economics said. That spells bad news for residential real estate. Beacon said the San Francisco area rental market 'appears to be approaching the end of frenzied growth.' The firm expects multifamily permitting activity will fall by 18 to 24 percent in 2017, as compared to 2016, as 'demand for apartments in the region’s pricier submarkets continues to cool.'"

"Consultancy JLL noted there have been 214 mortgagee listings so far this year - including 156 residential properties. 'We foresee a 10 to 20 per cent increase in mortgagee sales for 2017 compared to this year,' said Ms Mok Sze Sze, head of auction and sales for Singapore at JLL. Private residential rents weakened by 3 per cent in the first nine months of the year, and ERA Realty Network foresees a further 3 to 4 per cent drop next year owing to the increased supply of new homes and weaker leasing demand."

"Property agents said landlords have been dropping rents and throwing in sweeteners such as new furniture and fittings to attract or retain tenants. 'Many landlords who have bought their properties three to four years ago are settling for rents that don't cover their mortgage payment because they went in at a high price and the market has weakened since,' PropNex Realty senior associate director Anthea Yeo told The Straits Times."

"Analysts said some properties were sold at significant losses this year, including a unit at Sentosa Cove condo Turquoise that went for $3.8 million. The seller had bought it at $7.16 million in 2007. Another apartment on the eighth floor at Seascape - also in Sentosa Cove - was resold at $6.35 million in October, down from its $11 million purchase price in 2011."

"An economist has advised local property developers to unload themselves of unsold units by offering discounts as they face competition from their counterparts from China. Speaking to FMT, Hoo Ke Ping noted that the Chinese developers were typically catering to their rich compatriots and had to price their properties at above RM1 million a unit. Only a few Malaysians could afford to buy those homes, he pointed out."

"'The problem Malaysian developers will face is that many of them have built expensive homes that they have not been able to sell,' he said. 'So not only is there an oversupply, but the local developers are now facing competition from the Chinese in the high-end property sector.'"

"Amid the prolonged slowdown in residential real estate and the demonetisation’s economic fallout, several companies have been unable to attract buyers for their surplus land. Over the last year, demand in Mumbai’s real estate market has been flat. Moreover, prices are expected to fall by at least 15-20% as demand may drop further due to demonetisation. Analysts say the current market environment is not conducive because there is too much uncertainty on the sale of finished products."

"'There will be uncertainty for the next six months. Land is valued on the basis of backward calculation. So people will be wary of buying land,' said Gulam Zia, executive director at realty consultancy Knight Frank."

"As sparkling white snow settles on Stettler and area streets, homes and parks, the real estate market slows down as it does every year. Despite the winter slow down, and despite the tepid economy, it's been a pretty good year for Fran Snowden at Century 21 Candor Realty. 'Lower price homes sell well,' Snowden said. 'The higher priced ones are at a bit of a standstill.'"

"The picture Snowden paints with her observations is very similar to those of realtor James Dadensky, who has worked for more than 20 years in the industry. 'Of course, the recession isn't helping,' Dadensky said. 'But it's not as bad as people think.'"

"Business is relatively steady, though like Snowden, Dadensky is now in the midst of the winter slump. During the summer, though, houses on the market didn't stay there long, he said. 'As long as people price their homes at market value, they will sell,' he said. 'It's when they price high, they don't. The glory days of house selling is over.'"