This sounds nice...

How different is this blurb from the typical sentiment we see in the national media:

'06 HOME SALES SIZZLED

AUSTIN, TX (Austin American-Statesman) – December’s Multiple Listing Service report from the Austin Board of Realtors shows single-family home sales were higher than during the same period in 2005, capping another record year for the area housing market.

Single-family home sales for the month were up 3 percent from last year, totaling almost 2,000, with the year-end total sold at almost 27,000, a 10 percent increase from 2005.
The December single-family median price rose 4 percent to $177,500, and the year-end median price rose 6 percent to $174,500.

Average days-on-market was 63 days, the lowest time span in four years. The number of active listings declined by 4 percent to just over 7,800, marking the lowest number since 2001.

So if you like Texas...but seriously, stories about the national real estate market are about as useful as national presidential polls. On politics, we have this electoral college whereby each state's vote matters for presidential races. On real estate, your local market is important, not nationally. The national economic climate is relevant.