TRAVERSE CITY -- It was a common sight in 2009...for-sale signs lining neighborhood lawns.  But with a new year underway, a new housing market could be in store.

"We're always trying to make a win-win for everybody in real estate.  That's the hardest thing this past year, it's been a win-lose.  The buyers have been winning, the sellers losing...now, right now it's becoming a win-win because the prices are lining up with the buyers expectations," says associate broker with Schmidt Realtors in Traverse City, Ken Kleinrichert Jr.

Kleinrichert  says the real estate industry hit rock bottom in 2009, but realtors have already been noticing a steady trend that started last month.  He says it's a combination of the tax credit that's still available to home buyers until April 30th.

"That tax credit spurred the real estate industry at lest in our area.  Investors, second home buyers they've been on the market.  We saw some lake front properties move.  Lake front business was nearly non-existent on the local lakes this summer.  This last quarter of the year we saw some of those moving.  So all the indicators are pointing it should be a successful 2010," says Kleinrichert.

Now, the forecast for the housing market might look positive for 2010, but according to some analysts it could be a different story when it comes to the unemployment outlook.

"Nationally there may be some job growth in 2010, but most areas of the state probably not in 2010.  I think the best we can hope for at this point is stability," says labor market analyst with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth, Jim Rhein.

Rhein says although northern Michigan unemployment isn't as severe as it is in southern Michigan, it could take up to 2011 and 2012 to start seeing improvement.

"I think any kind of recovery will not come quickly.  So, I think it's going to be very sluggish, the best that we can hope for at least in the first few months of 2010 is things just stay stable," say Rhein.

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