Name that Headline!

August Case-Shiller Index

U.S. home prices fell in August from a month earlier, ending their climb since April, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price indexes. The index of 10 major metropolitan areas fell 0.1% in August compared with July, while the 20-city index declined 0.2%. Adjusted for seasonal factors, the 10-area index fell 0.2%, while the 20-area declined 0.3%.

--The Wall Street Journal (10/26/2010)

What's the predictable headline on a .1% drop in home prices in August, released at 8 a.m CST this morning?

"Home Prices Drop."

Call it the flip side of what I heard an Edina office manager announce at a recent meeting, based on an increase in showings the previous week from 900 to 901: 'Showings are Up!'

So what do I make of the latest Case-Shiller numbers?

Not much.

Activity in the Twin Cities continues to be what most agents would characterize as "sluggish."

Housing Headline du jour

"Home Prices May Fall Further"
--generic headline discussing the housing market

Whenever I see a "non-headline" headline like this, it reminds me of a colleague's comment about an ad for income property a few years ago. Along with the property's asking price, key stat's, etc. was this language: 'rents could be higher.'

To which my colleague riffed, without missing a beat: ' . . . and they could be lower, too."

So, yeah, home price may fall -- or, they may rise!

Sort of sums up the options.

P.S.: in the same vein, years ago National Lampoon ran a spoof of USA Today, which raised (lowered?) banal headlines to an art form. Example: 'Puppies . . Dogs of the Future?"