There seems to be some confusion in the housing markets lately. Conflicting figures and opinions from authoritative indexes and pundits tell us that we’ve either hit the bottom of the housing market, we’re moving down again, or we’re moving up. This kind of analysis is likely to produce housing vertigo. As a result it becomes difficult for the average individual to decide whether it’s a good idea to purchase a home at this time.

When it comes to selling vacant homes, one Arizona company is really in the snow.Vacant Home Rescue is providing owners of houses in short sale with a cool, free service, aimed at removing winter obstacles from the task of getting the property sold. Removing snow from the driveways of vacant homes makes it easier for agents to show the property to potential buyers.

It’s evident in South Florida, as well as other areas of the country, that houses are moving faster, and inventory is decreasing. In fact, inventory levels are down to less than an 8 month supply. Home sales have increased for the fourth month in a row. Barring a barrage of foreclosure dumping by banks, we are seeing a leveling out of prices.

Sales of new homes rose in July for the fourth consecutive month, rising 9.6 percent to an annualized rate of 433,000 units. There is so much excitement that Commerce Undersecretary Rebecca Blank said "these new numbers are another sign that we have put the brakes on the worst economic downturn in generations. Increased distribution of Recovery Act dollars at the end of the year should continue to encourage economic growth and support the gains that we are just beginning to see."

Several columns ago, I noted that while home sales were up, home sellers were holding onto their asking prices much more tightly than they had been. The typical concession, from what I saw, was around seven percent. Currently, nationwide sales figures are showing that homes are selling at 94% of average asking price. Home prices are trending up.

So called “short sales,” which many uninformed people think will net them a bargain home in record time, are anything but short in length. The short aspect refers to the fact that the owner is short of cash and can’t pay the mortgage. Typically, these homes were bought at the top of the market and are carrying mortgages far in excess of their value. They have created havoc and controversy in the Florida real estate market.

The WSJ yesterday published a front page article exposing the dichotomy between the high and low-end homes in the housing market. Due to significant amounts of government stimulus aimed at fixing the housing market, the low end seems to have clunked to a bottom. However, since the attention is on the foreclosure properties and inexpensive houses, the expensive homes are missing out the rebound.

People who have difficulties with selling their homes can do a house swap. Usually we have heard vacationers doing house swap, but now it is done also by those people who can't sell their homes.

The news agencies report the the U.S. Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner is having serious difficulties for selling his house and has put it on a rent.

The new home sales unexpectedly and surprising went up in February giving a good boost to Wall Street. In the meanwhile the mortgage rates are flat so far today after creeping up some in the last few days.

A short time ago, the Census Bureau reported sales of new homes rose 2.7 percent in September, from a 17-year low in August, propelled by a 9.1 percent plunge in home prices.

Warren Buffett, whose business and investment acumen has made him one of the world's wealthiest men, said in an interview published Sunday he believes the U.S. economy is already in a recession.