A report from the Sacramento Bee in California. "After months — and even years — of rising home sale prices, the Sacramento region could be seeing the first signs of a decline. The median home sales price in the Sacramento region fell by 5 percent last month compared to December, one of the steepest declines seen in large metro areas across the country, according to Redfin."

"The question lurking in the back of the minds of many realtors: is this just a seasonal dip or a long-term trend? 'The thing to keep in mind is we have seasonal dips in our market — things slow down at the end of the year through the beginning of the year,' said Kellie Swayne, a real estate agent with Dunnigan Realtors in Sacramento. 'So whether or not the dips we’re seeing are significant ones or if they’re seasonal ones remains to be seen.'"

"The market has shown signs lately that the upsurge is wavering. The decline comes as the volume of home sales in the region has also softened, falling by more than 19 percent in January compared to December. In perhaps another sign of the market cooling, home sales were down nearly 22 percent compared with the same period the year before."

From The Real Deal on Florida. "Luxury condo developers in South Florida are now dangling cash rebates and zero maintenance fees at buyers — and the potential for huge commissions at brokers — in an effort to unload remaining units amid the ongoing sales slowdown."

"According to Douglas Elliman’s latest residential market report, the number of luxury condos sold in Miami Beach and the barrier islands during the fourth quarter fell 15 percent year over year. Condo sales in January dipped more than 11 percent in Miami-Dade and Broward counties compared to the same period the year before, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. In Palm Beach County, the dropoff was more than 18 percent."

"Meanwhile, new condo projects continue to enter the market, adding to the competition. 'Condo developers in South Florida want to sell their inventory this year, so they are offering different incentives all over the place,' said Craig Studnicky, principal of brokerage RelatedISG."

"In Miami, Swire Properties is saying it will give buyers a 10 percent cash rebate at its recently-built Reach and Rise, twin 43-story condo buildings at Brickell City Centre. About 19 percent of the combined units remain unsold. That means for a $1 million unit, Swire will write a check to the buyer for $100,000, plus pay two years of condo fees, which amounts to about $15,000 per year, according to Studnicky."

"And at the 180-unit Echo Brickell in Miami, Property Markets Group is now giving a 10 percent discount to buyers along with a 7 percent commission to brokers."

From The News Chief. "After years of sellers calling the shots, the negotiating power pendulum is slowly swinging back toward buyers. DEAR DAVE: Home prices and sales in our area were really strong until a few months ago, but then suddenly started to slow. What gives? Is this happening all over the country, or is it something that’s just happening in our community?"

"ANSWER: There are definitely signs of a modest real estate slowdown in many parts of the U.S. — as well as some signals that negotiating power is gradually shifting from sellers to buyers. There are some emerging trends in the market that suggest the recent softening may be more than just a temporary slowdown. The National Association of Realtors reported in December that sales the previous month, the latest figures available, were down 7 percent from a year earlier."

"Fewer home shoppers have slowly been pushing the number of houses for sale higher and properties are taking a bit longer to sell, both of which make sellers more willing to bargain. Recent stock market volatility and rising mortgage rates are shrinking the pool of potential buyers even more, adding to the power of those still looking for a house or condo."

"There’s no reason to panic. As I wrote a few weeks ago, most economists are expecting home sales to dip only slightly this year and the average nationwide price to rise a modest 2 percent to 3 percent. If those forecasts prove correct, it will lay the groundwork for a solid housing market for at least the next two years and assure that buyers will regain a more equitable share of power in the bargaining process."