Brokers see signs of slowing real estate boom

Some of Dee Dee Trosclair's clients are getting antsy these days and asking why their homes aren't selling like hotcakes. Home buyers, meanwhile, are getting more serious about making a move, said Trosclair, a Realtor for Keller Williams Realty in Dallas. Subtle signs of a slow-down have surfaced in some housing markets across the country, as inventories of for-sale homes build up and some homes take longer to sell. The sale of high-end homes in particular has been stagnant in some markets. Rising interest rates are high on buyers' minds, Realtors report, and some agents said they're worried that a growing number of homeowners are financially overextended. Trosclair said she worked with one first-time home buyer who saw the interest rate rise one-half percent during the time it took to negotiate the contract and lock in the rate on her mortgage. "The slight adjustment almost placed her out of the market," Trosclair said. Are home buyers confident about housing as an investment? Take ...