A report from the Naples Daily News in Florida. "While buyers struggle to find inventory in other highly desirable locations across the country, this is not the case in Naples. 'We have almost 7.5 months of inventory," said Bill Coffey, Broker Manager of Amerivest Realty Naples. 'In fact, inventory for single-family homes under $300,000 grew by 79 percent to 483 homes in October.'"

"The October report also showed the overall median closed price increased 1 percent to $344,000 from $342,000 in October 2017; but went down 1 percent for homes priced over $300,000 to $475,000 from $480,000 in October 2017. Interestingly, the median closed price in the Naples Beach area decreased 13 percent in October to $595,000 in October 2018 from $682,000 in October 2017."

The Los Angeles Daily News in California. "Looking for a home to buy in the San Fernando Valley? You might have some better chances these days, as the number of them on the market is creeping up, according to one analysis of the local real estate market. That number, 1,601 homes and condos by the end of October, was 28.5 percent higher than October 2017, according to the Southland Regional Association of Realtors."

"'The modest increase in listings gives buyers a wider selection, thus making it possible that more sellers will be open to negotiating their asking price,' according to Tim Johnson, the association’s chief executive officer."

"Three months of this year saw the San Fernando Valley’s median single-family home price at or higher than $700,000. But by October, the media price of a home stood at $678,000. It’s still not a bad chunk of change for sellers — up 4.6 percent from this time last year — but it’s a noticeable drop that illustrates a slight cooling from the summer months, when in May and August the record high median price of a home in the San Fernando Valley hit $708,000."

"Realtors cautioned that the housing market is by no means — as of yet — a buyers market."

'But after years of dwindling supply and rising prices, 'any increase (in inventory) will help buyers,' said Gary Washburn, president of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors. Washburn said there appears to be a plateau in a market that was once on fire."

"'The days of double-digit monthly hikes in prices appear to be gone,' he said."

The Dallas Morning News in Texas. "After years of booming sales, the housing market in North Texas and across the country is shifting gears. In Dallas-Fort Worth, preowned home purchases have been lower than a year ago for three months in a row. That's bad news if you're trying to sell a house."

"It's also a worry for the real estate sales industry, which has seen an influx of thousands of residential agents and a growing roster of startup sales firms. Membership in the National Association of Realtors has grown about 30 percent since the worst of the Great Recession."

"'By the time this year is over, I think we will have gone past our prior record of 1.4 million Realtors,' said Steve Murray, an industry analyst who heads Denver-based RealTrends. 'People are still flooding in.'"

"Murray said that in previous cycles when housing sales declined, there was usually a shakeout of agents. 'My view is there's a down market, which we are in already,' he said. 'We are in a bear market, though it's not falling hugely. In seven of the last eight months, existing home sales have been down from the year before. Unit sales next year could be off in the 8 to 12 percent range.'"

"If that happens, sales agents will be scrapping over a shrinking pie of business. The slowdown in home sales is occurring as a growing number of startup 'disruptor' residential companies are planting their flags in Dallas and markets across the country. Armed with billions in investor dollars, new technologies and marketing platforms, these firms are carving a share of business away from traditional real estate firms."

"'They look around for markets to disrupt,' Murray said. 'Everybody thinks they have the next Uber or Airbnb.'"

"Thousands of agents who entered the business during good times have never experienced a down market. In its latest membership profile, the National Association of Realtors noted that income and sales volumes for its members have dropped slightly during the past year.'

"The trade association reported this summer that almost 30 percent of its members have fewer than two years' experience. The typical agent handled 11 transactions in 2017. The nationwide median gross income of Realtors last year was $39,800 — down from $42,500 in 2016. And 60 percent of Realtors who have worked two or fewer years made less than $10,000 in 2017."

"Murray said a decline in the housing business at some point was inevitable. 'Our prices got too high and then the mortgage rates went up and affordability cratered,' he said. 'We are going to do a cool-off.'"