As you're probably well aware, we're counting down the final days before discount pricing ends on registration for Real Estate Connect NYC 2009.  Inman News has put together what looks to be our best Real Estate Connect conference yet, January 7-9th in New York.

Real Estate Connect offers the strongest content in the industry, with stellar keynotes, panelists, case studies, and interactive forums, plus incredible opportunities for shared learning and networking.  We’d love for you to join us.  So consider this your official invitation to Connect.

Remember, prices go up after this Sunday, so if you haven't registered yet, you'd better get moving!  Register Here.

What the heck is going on in California?

The rate of sales for resale single-family homes flew up 117 percent in October compared to the same month last year, while the median price shot down about 40 percent (see Inman News article).

The California Association of Realtors explained that the sales surge was largely driven by areas with a high concentration of distressed-property sales (short sales, sales of bank-owned or REO properties, and sales of homes in a foreclosure process, as examples).

The record year-over-year gain in the sales rate in California occurred in the same month that the National Association of Realtors reported (see Inman News) a record year-over-year drop in the national median price of U.S. resale homes (down 11.3 percent).

Check out this Inman News graphic to view some trends on some of the pricing extremes in California cities, city areas and counties, based on data provided by the California Association of Realtors and DataQuick.

Click here to view full-size graphic.

With LandAmerica no longer able to count on a merger with Fidelity to resolve its issues with creditors, we may be headed for the biggest shakeup in the title insurance industry since Mercury Cos. shut down operations in five states and sold its remaining title and escrow operations in Colorado to Fidelity (see story).

LandAmerica says its underwriting subsidiaries are well funded to pay claims, but the question has now become how the company funds ongoing operations. Some analysts who follow LandAmerica reportedly see bankruptcy as an option. LandAmerica's already closed down its 1031 exchange company (see story).

LandAmerica's got several hundred subsidiaries or companies it holds an interest in. We'd like to hear from Inman News readers if you are with one of those subsidiaries or do business with them on what happens next.

And more broadly, what do readers think the broader implications are for the title insurance industry? A Fidelity-LandAmerica merger would have put about 75 percent of the business in the hands of just two companies: Fidelity/LandAmerica and First American. 

Could we still be looking at that kind of consolidation? Would that be a problem for you, or do you see any silver lining?

UPDATE: Fidelity is now looking to pick up LandAmerica's title insurance underwriting subsidiaires in bankruptcy court. If the deal goes through, Fidelity and First American would control about 75 percent of the title insurance business (see story).

There's a move underway on the internet to restore the reputation of commentator Peter Schiff, president of Euro Pacific Capital, whose dour predictions were frequently scoffed at in 2006 and 2007 by on-air talking heads. They now seem eerily prescient, while the laughing heads seem, well... I'll leave that up to you. 

You can see more 'Peter Schiff Was Right' videos on Youtube.

Connect NYC '09 is just around the corner (if you haven't registered, now would be a good time).  That means its time to start up the roll call.  If you are going to be at Connect NYC '09, then stand up and introduce yourself.  All you have to do is record a video telling everyone who you are and what has you excited about Connect NYC '09.  Then, post your video to YouTube or the video hosting site of choice.  Once you've done that, send me an email with a link to the video:  Daniel.Rothamel@Inman.com   I'll be posting the videos right here on the blog all way up until Connect NYC '09 kicks off on January 7th, 2009.

Since I'm asking all of you for videos, it is only fair that I participate:

Don't be shy! Send me those videos, and I'll see you in Times Square!

Inman News has embarked on a major editorial project and we need your input.

Please take a few minutes to write a paragraph or two (no more than 400 words) on any or all of the following questions. We plan to publish your responses on Inman News with your picture and credit you for your contribution. Only answer the questions you are comfortable answering, ignore the other ones.

1.  Imagine how the real estate industry will be different when we recover from the current downturn. (Pick an area such as brokerage, title, lending, technology or consumer behavior, or address the entire industry.)

2.  How will the business model or business practices of the title, brokerage or lending industries change in the future?

3. Will the industry be regulated differently in the future? If so, how?

4. What must the industry do now to prepare for this new direction?

5. What technology trends will change the industry in the future?

6. What skills will the real estate agent of the future require?

7.  How will real estate advertising dollars be spent in the future? How will real estate marketing be different?

8.  Will sales activity in your local housing market contract or expand in 2009? Will national sales activity contract or expand?

9. What will drive the expansion or contraction?

10. Will local home prices decrease, increase or remain stable in 2009? 2010? Will national home prices fall, rise or remain flat in

2009? In 2010?

Please send your responses in a Word document, along with a high-resolution headshot of yourself, to future@inman.com. Please include your full title and how you would like to be credited. We are offering a free pass to the upcoming Real Estate Connect conference in New York City to the author of any submission that we publish in full (valid for new registrations only). The conference will be held Jan. 7-9, 2009.

Michael Lewis, who chronicled questionable Wall Street practices in his 1990 book, "Liar's Poker," shares some insight about the latest financial follies in an article at Conde Nast's Portfolio.com. Its simple title: "The End."

Flickr photo by jonmcalister.

Bloggers Connect has been a popular component of Inman Real Estate Connect for a few years now.  For every new edition of Bloggers Connect, attendees have learned more about blogging and social media.  But just because the event has been successful doesn't mean that it can't be better.

That is why, this year at Bloggers Connect NYC '09, attendees will have a completely new experience.  The program has been reformatted to include more intense information sharing and to include more time for interaction and Q&A.  That is just part of the big changes. . .

This year, for the first time ever, we are conducting a LIVE BLOG MAKEOVER.  That's right, one lucky blogger will have an opportunity to have their blog completely made over, improved, and tricked out using the input of the expert presenters and attendees at Blogger Connect.  Leading the way will be expert blog builder Jim Cronin, who will be providing the winner with their new-and-improved blog courtesy of the Real Estate Tomato. 

Here's how it works:

1) Submit your blog for a makeover. To do that, simply leave a comment in the Inman Community Blog Makeover Contest Group. In your submission, make sure that you give the URL for your blog.  Most importantly tell us why you think your blog deserves a makeover. Any type of submission is fine, you can write the whole thing out, make a video and link to it, be as creative as you want. The more creative, the better. This isn't a random drawing, so keep in mind that the quality of your submission matters.

2) We will collect submissions from THE COMMUNITY GROUP ONLY through December 14, 2008.

3) We will then select one winner, who will be announced on December 17, 2008.

4) The winner will receive a full conference registration to Inman Connect NYC '09. (winner to cover his/her own travel expenses)

5) During Bloggers Connect, the winner's blog will be discussed by all the attendees and presenters, who will offer their insight, input, and expertise as to how to create the most effective blog.

6) Using the input from Bloggers Connect, the winner will work with Jim Cronin and his team at The Real Estate Tomato to build a completely transformed blog.

7) We'll follow up with the winner and with Jim periodically afterwards to see how the blog makeover has affected the winner.

If you have any questions, you can leave a comment here, or send me an email:  Daniel.Rothamel@Inman.com

So, what are you waiting for? If you have always wanted to do something new with your blog, but never thought you had the time or resources, now is your chance! Make your submission here, and who knows, maybe we'll see you on stage at Bloggers Connect getting your very own blog makeover!

Courtesy of Youtube user firecatgreg. 

A thought-provoking (and depressing) summary from The Boston Globe:

The lines wouldn't be outside soup kitchens but at emergency rooms, and rather than itinerant farmers we could see waves of laid-off office workers leaving homes to foreclosure and heading for areas of the country where there's more work - or just a relative with a free room over the garage. Already hollowed-out manufacturing cities could be all but deserted, and suburban neighborhoods left checkerboarded, with abandoned houses next to overcrowded ones.

What's your take? Are we heading towards a Depression next year?