Fill In the Blanks

Well, Alex, the National Association of realtors is at least putting the champagne on ice. The industry group says the slight rise in sales for previously owned homes shows the housing market is finally stabilizing, which is the first sign of a recovery. Now, that of course is an interpretation of the numbers , and one that’s coming from an organization known for being somewhat of a cheerleader for the housing market, since its members are made up of realtors who’ve been losing a lot of money in the slump. Now, for a more sober view, I talked to Wellesley housing economist Karl Case, and he says the slight uptick in sales hardly offsets the fact that numbers are down 20 percent from the year before.