A report from CBS News. "Home affordability has been worsening since the real estate market bottomed in 2012. The recovery in home values has easily surpassed gains in typical paychecks. In the Dallas area, just 55 percent of the listings are affordable for median-income families with 10 percent down payments. That's a decline from 59 percent in 2017."

"Nationally, home values have climbed 44 percent on average since 2012 but incomes only about 15 percent, according to Tendayi Kapfidze, chief economist at LendingTree. 'Ultimately, incomes are the anchor or the gravitational field on prices,' Kapfidze said."

The Wall Street Journal. "Aryanna Hering didn’t have pay stubs or tax forms to document her income when she shopped around for a mortgage last year—a problem that made it tough for her to get a loan. But the nursing student who works part time providing home care for children and the elderly eventually hit pay dirt: For a roughly $610,000 home loan, a mortgage company let her verify her earnings with 12 months of bank statements and letters from clients."

"Ms. Hering’s case highlights how a flavor of mortgage once panned for its role in the housing meltdown a decade ago is making a comeback. Tom Jessop, the loan consultant at New American Funding who handled Ms. Hering’s loan, said he has seen demand for unconventional loans double over the past 18 months and they currently make up more than one-third of his business."

"'I think it’s just catering to an audience that’s been neglected for years,' Mr. Jessop said. 'Now they have an opportunity to get financing finally.'"

"'It’s definitely starting to swing,' said Guy Cecala, chief executive of Inside Mortgage Finance. 'As more companies enter the space you’re going to see more competition, and with more competition, you’re going to see loosening of underwriting' standards."

The Herald Tribune in Florida. "Depending on your perspective, December’s residential real estate market figures in Sarasota-Manatee look disappointing, with declines in closed sales, pending sales and median prices compared with the same month in 2018. Not good for sellers."

"Inventory jumped year-over-year by 9.3 percent. Combined with the lower median prices, that’s good for buyers. 'In December 2018, the number of new listings increased, while the number of sold and pending listings decreased, with a resulting increase in inventory and push-back pressure on prices,' said Robert Goldman, a Realtor with Michael Saunders & Co . 'If it continues, i.e., buyers resisting continued price appreciation, sellers will be forced to lower their sights, adjust their expectations.'"

"'Parenthetically, notwithstanding an increase in new listings, on almost any given day the MLS has more list price reductions than new listings,' he said."

"Manatee single-family homes fell to a median price of $309,000, a 2.7 percent decrease from the highest recorded median price in 2017 — $317,500. Sarasota single-family home prices increased by 3.6 percent, to $285,000. Sarasota condo prices decreased by 12 percent, to $220,000, while Manatee condos decreased by 2.6 percent, to $190,000."

From Space Coast Daily in Florida. "Florida’s housing market reported higher median prices and increased inventory (active listings) in December compared to a year ago, according to Florida Realtors. Sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 20,633 last month, down 9.9 percent compared to December 2017."

"The Median Sales Price for Brevard Single Family homes is up 0.5% to $229,000 compared to a year ago, which was $227,789. Months Supply of Inventory is up 25.9% to 3.4 months, an increase from 2.7 months in 2017. Traditional Sales are down -11.8%, with a median sales price of $235,000. Foreclosure/REO Sales are up 38.5%, with a median sales price of $138,750."