Region joins housing bubble - 2005-02-14
Washington is in a midst of a housing bubble affecting a couple of dozen urban areas nationwide, characterized by soaring home prices and increasing speculative activity in local real estate.

As people saw with the stock market bubble in 2000, the ride up may be exhilarating for investors and homeowners, providing an opportunity to make big money, but the ride down —if the bubble bursts — can be devastating to people's finances and crippling to the economy.
Read the full story at Washington Times

Illinois Home Sales Set Third Consecutive Record Year in 2004 - 2005-02-14
Healthy demand for homeownership continously drove single-family home sales to an all- time high in 2004, with no sign of a slowdown in the last quarter. Single family home sales increased 4.7 percent in Illinois in 2004.

Among the most vital factors underlying this record-setting year in Illinois -- and nationwide -- were affordable mortgage interest rates and the steadfast demand for homeownership,especially first-time buyers.
Read the full story at Builder Online