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When is a 32.9-percent year-over-year decline in home sales good news? When it follows a 41- percent drop two months earlier.

With that encouraging note, Asha Bangalore, an economist at Northern Trust Global Economic Research, sees “hints of a market recovery” for housing.

Sales of new single-family homes fell 32.9 percent in June compared to June 2007, but that’s less painful than the 41-percent plunge from April to April.

She also notes sales of new homes increased 0.6 percent in June from May, after a decline of 1.7 percent in May compared to April. Plus, the unsold inventory of homes eased to a 10-month supply in June from 11.2 months in March.

These are encouraging signals, although Bangalore notes the South and West are still faring worse than the Northeast and Midwest.

Home sales and home building are relatively flat across metropolitan Phoenix. Home prices are down slightly, while foreclosures continue to climb.
It's the market reality, and not one that makes too many people happy. But RL Brown, housing analyst and publisher of the Phoenix Housing Market Report, said the fact people are accepting and adjusting to the slowdown is a good sign for the housing market.
In Brown's latest newsletter, released last week, he said “the market is in much better condition than it was just a few months ago, not because velocities have improved that much, but because the industry has adjusted to the reality of the times.He goes on to say that most people now realize “this recession” is not going to be a “six mother.”
On the numbers side, Brown tracked 1,901 new home closings across the Valley in June, compared to 1,845 in May. Home building permits fell to 1,275 in June from 1,552 in May. The median price of a new Valley home was $217,309 last month, down about $1,500.
Homes foreclosed on or taken back by the lender continue to drag down supply and home prices. But those “repossessed” home are selling, which is a good sign because if they weren't the housing market's hurts would be worse.
ASU Realty Numbers
June resale figures from Arizona State University’s Realty Studies group now include foreclosure figures.
There were 4,565 resales across Maricopa County last month, compared to 4,315 in May.
Separately, there were 3,275 foreclosures in June, compared to 2,895 in May.
Arizona doesn't actually have foreclosures. The state has trustee sales, which is when the home is taken from the homeowner behind on payments and sold at an auction or taken back by the lender.
Trustee sales were a very small part of the market until last summer when the number of people losing their homes started to rapidly climb. In June 2006, there were 64 trustee sales or foreclosures. A year ago, there were 676.
 

Everybody says we're in trouble in this country, that we've lost our way. Every day in the news, we see yet another example (or two or three) that the value of humanity has hit rock bottom.

Turns out it's not true.

This I know, because a little girl named Maria is going to be given a chance to walk.

I wrote about Maria Humphrey on Wednesday. About how she's taken more hits in her brief four years than most of us could imagine. About how she's already exceeded some expectations and God willing will again. About how Maria wants to walk but the state has denied her the $5,000 worth of equipment that would give her that chance.

The responses started coming in at 6:14 a.m. on the day her story appeared. People offering to do research to find help. People offering a few dollars or a thousand. A 13-year-old girl named Angelique, wanting to organize a fundraiser. A Gilbert man taking up a collection in his church. A medical equipment store stepping up to offer help, and a retired police officer.

“I certainly know what it's like when you need specific equipment to try to ‘be like others,' ” he wrote. Indeed he does. He was put into a wheelchair by a drunken driver a few years ago while working to keep our streets safe.

Many of those who offered to help were like Daniel. “I am not a wealthy person,” he wrote, “but the good Lord has treated me with kindness. Please let me know if I can make a donation or help in any other way to make Maria's life any better.”

In a way, Daniel, you already have. If you know someone who has a disabled child, you know what it's like. The constant struggle to get what you need. The exhausting effort just to get through some days. The occasional feeling that you're alone in this battle to give your child just a taste of what comes so easily to other children.

The response to Maria's story should tell her parents, Cathy Humphrey and Manny Kritsotakis, that they are not alone.

Heck, even the state stepped up. Humphrey got word Wednesday morning that Care1st Health Plan Arizona and the state Division of Developmental Disabilities have decided to fund the $2,200 walker that Cathy requested last year. They again rejected the $2,700 stander, calling it a duplication of equipment.

As they were rejecting, however, the Shriners were responding. David Scrimager, of the El Zaribah Shrine, waved his magic wand and poof! Maria will get her stander. He seemed perplexed when I asked him why.

“This,” he said, “is what we do.”

In fact, the Shriners, with 22 children's hospitals across the nation, give away $2 million in equipment and services every day. The local chapter, El Zaribah, helps 1,930 children.

Including, now, Maria.

For all those people who want to help the Marias of this world, you can. The folks over at El Zaribah will gladly put your tax-deductible donation to good use. Just send it to 552 N. 40th St. Phoenix, 85008, or call them, at 602-231-0300.

As for Cathy Humphrey, she's astonished at the outpouring, and grateful. “I'm positive that Maria will be able to walk independently and even run and play with the other kids someday,” she said. “I dream about it and I can see it.”

I don't know if Maria will ever walk. I do know that she'll now be given the chance, which every child deserves.

Mary Wendland of Glendale can tell you. Her four-year-old grandson has disabilities much like Maria's. He got a walker earlier this year and every day he's improving.

“He has had 11 brain surgeries and has a shunt inserted in his brain. But because of my daughter's persistence and more than a dozen fantastic, dedicated doctors and therapists, he can perform a lot of functions that we were warned would not happen.

“Never give up on these children,” she wrote. “They surprise us so much.”

(Column published July 26, 2008, The Arizona Republic)

To make room for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Cardinals cut running back Chris Vincent.

Also, a thunderstorm has forced the Cardinals to practice in the Walkup Skydome this afternoon. The workout starts at 3 p.m.

Some thoughts, observations and opinions after the first day of training camp practices:

'I did a radio interview with an out-of-town station last week, and the host asked me to name an under-the-radar player who might have an impact this year. I picked tight end Ben Patrick. Last year's seventh-round pick lined up with the the first team yesterday, and with Leonard Pope rounding into shape after his injury, Patrick is going to play a prominent role throughout camp and the preseason.

'The lack of depth at offensive tackle is scary. Running with the second team yesterday was Elliot Vallejo (right side) and Peter Clifford (left side). Vallejo spent last year on the practice squad, and Clifford is an undrafted rookie from Michigan State. Coaches think Vallejo could develop into a good player, but it's hard to see him playing much this year. And who knows about Clifford? The Cardinals will be shopping for a veteran throughout the summer. The way things stand now, however, an injury to a starter likely would mean either guard Elton Brown or Reggie Wells moving to tackle. That means one injury would necessitate two moves.

'Defensive end Antonio Smith stood out in Friday afternoon's practice. He was moving non-stop. After practice, he teased a group of loitering reporters that he was going to take their jobs when he was done playing. "Y'all will be old by then," he said. I took it to mean he doesn't  think we are old now. Thank you, Antonio.

'I think this defense has a chance to be  good. The depth at outside linebacker is much improved. If just one of the rookie defensive ends, Calais Campbell or Kenny Iwebema, comes through, the depth there will be drastically better than a year ago. The safety position is strong with Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle as starters. Aaron Francisco will challenge Rolle, and Matt Ware is behind them.

'Alan Branch is getting a wake-up call and he better not hit the snooze button. With Gabe Watson out with a knee injury, it looked like Branch would slide into the starting lineup. Not so fast. Working with the first team yesterday was the veteran Bryan Robinson. So Branch, the guy who cost the Cardinals second and fourth-round picks last year, was, in effect, a third-teamer on Friday.

The Cardinals completed their first practice in Flagstaff this morning with a nice crowd watching the 90-minute workout.

Players were in shells -- helmets and the pads that go under shoulder pads -- so there was little contact. Cornerback Eric Green stood out, intercepting on pass from Matt Leinart and nearly picking off another.

The most interesting thing about the workout was looking at what players were on the first teams. Defensively, Bertrand Berry worked with the first unit at the weak outside linebacker spot, ahead of Travis LaBoy. No one should read much into that. I bet LaBoy gets a fair share of snaps with the first unit in future practices.

Bryan Robinson, the veteran, started at nose tackle ahead of Alan Branch. On offense, Ben Patrick was with the first group at tight end, but I think Leonard Pope will get a lot of snaps there, too. The lack of depth on the offensive line was highlighted by looking at the second unit. Peter Clifford, an undrafted rookie from Michigan State, was the No. 2 left tackle, and Elliot Vallejo was the backup right tackle. Neither has played a down in the NFL.

In other news:

'No sign of first-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and no indication that a deal is close. I haven't talked to GM Rod Graves lately. DRC's agent, Eugene Parker, is representing Rams running back Steven Jackson, who is holding out of camp. Maybe Parker is busy with that.

'Receiver Anquan Boldin isn't backing away from comments made yesterday that he won't re-sign with the team. Boldin didn't go into details today with local television stations, who weren't here yesterday for his comments. However, Boldin told Dan Bickley and Mike Jurecki this morning on XTRA 910 that the team has made two offers, neither of which was acceptable.

The first, he said, wouldn't have paid him new money until three years down the road. The next offer, he said, bumped up his salaries but didn't include any guaranteed money. You can check out the interview here.