Most of the investors are gone, and traffic is down in home builders' sales trailers. Just look at all the ads. Builders are trying to move homes fast.

If you are trying to buy a home, you have to be careful about what you are doing.

Despite the slippage in home sales there is no evidence of any nationwide softening of home prices, though it may be difficult to avoid some slippage in the price of residential real estate if only because a slower pace of home sales is likely for 2006,

Existing home sales were stronger than expected and that is providing an offset.

But that didn't benefit the motor home sales. Higher fuel prices have been a negative for them.

Mortgage rates have been so low and accommodating that total home sales surged in October as families took advantage of the affordable atmosphere.