LA Times - "Bubble's pop was akin to a slow leak" (1-7-07)

"The latest sales data show a small but unmistakable uptick in activity and declining unsold inventories. In late December, the National Assn. of Realtors reported that existing home resales were up by a hair in November — 0.6% — the second straight month of modest increases off the cyclical trough in September. On Dec. 27 the Commerce Department reported sales of new houses rose 3.4% over the previous month, while builders' unsold inventories dropped to their lowest level since last February."