Speaking of ground hog day... are the lenders still holding on to their "shadow inventory"?

No this is not talking about the ground hog. Anyways that is over until next year - and only on Feb 2nd.

What I am talking about 'Shadow Inventory'

The shadow I am talking about is "Shadow Inventory": A term that refers to real estate properties that are either in foreclosure and have not yet been sold or homes that owners are delaying putting on the market until prices improve. This is the inventory the real estate industry have been waiting on for months (almost 2 years) now. This is the inventory that banks are holding on to or have released and didn't tell but a few. This is the term that adds to the confusion of the market and the real estate professionals --- this shadow inventory is keep or has kept a large number real estate professionals out of work and as I said before confused.

Shadow inventory can also create uncertainty about the best time to sell (for owners) and when a local market can expect full recovery. Also, shadow inventory typically causes reported data on housing inventory to understate the actual number of inventory in the market.

With the unprecedented number of foreclosures stemming from the subprime mortgage meltdown of 2007-2008 and the overall housing market collapse during that crisis, lenders were left with significant real estate holdings. Many lenders were slow to put their inventory up for sale for fear of flooding the market and further driving down prices, which would in turn lower their potential ROI.

Well hello and yo are you are awake --- the market was still affected in a big way (even without the shadow inventory) and the prices were and in some areas still way down. Although on a positive note: some area/markets are realizing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Speaking of the ground hog - have the banks seen their shadow or not?