It is hard to find any silver lining in the U.S. residential housing market, but if you look hard enough, or read today's USA Today, you will find a glimmer of positive news. Most states "continue to have stable home values," the paper quotes First American LoanPerformance, and a half dozen other states even showed a little growth over the last year. That's the good that counters the bad -- that prices fell in 17 states year to year.
The ugly, according to Zillow.com, one of our favorite sites for determining home prices across the U.S., is that 16% of those with a mortgage owe more than their homes are worth.
I'll be reporting from Winston-Salem, NC, this week, as well as posting a review here later today or tomorrow about a course in Pennsylvania with what could be the toughest par 3 in America.