I had planned on letting Bonnie enjoy the front page today. Then I took a look at the latest absorption rate numbers, through today. While the lower supply figures are due mostly to expiring inventory as the holidays approach, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Inventory has steadily dropped the past three months, leading to lower absorption rate figures.

And sales for the 30 days immediately past are comparable to totals for late November, a little surprising given the reduced interest as the winter solstice approaches.

Phoenix Arizona Real Estate market stats through 12/20/06

CITY	SOLD 11/19-12/19	ACTIVE 12/19	Absorption Rate as of 12/19/06	Change	Buyer/Seller
Ahwatukee	20	92	4.65 months	-1.35	Seller
Anthem	35	570	16.29	-1.93	Buyer
Avondale	110	798	7.25	-1.46	Buyer
Buckeye	62	747	12.05	-2.10	Buyer
Carefree	2	95	47.50	15.83	Buyer
Cave Creek	36	477	13.25	2.67	Buyer
Chandler	313	1,891	6.04	-0.34	Buyer
Desert Hills	13	180	13.85	-8.28	Buyer
El Mirage	54	359	6.65	-0.37	Buyer
Fountain Hills	37	383	10.35	-0.59	Buyer
Gilbert	301	2,040	6.78	-0.49	Buyer
Glendale	252	1,805	7.16	-0.23	Buyer
Goodyear	93	970	10.43	-0.21	Buyer
Laveen	57	381	6.68	-0.33	Buyer
Litchfield Park	30	380	12.67	0.76	Buyer
Maricopa	59	767	13.00	0.57	Buyer
Mesa	423	2,727	6.45	-0.59	Buyer
Paradise Valley	21	259	12.33	-0.77	Buyer
Peoria	182	1,616	8.88	-0.53	Buyer
Phoenix	1,190	6,664	5.60	-0.25	Buyer
Queen Creek	159	1,656	10.42	-0.08	Buyer
Scottsdale	302	2,900	9.60	-0.26	Buyer
Sun City	74	606	8.19	-0.34	Buyer
Sun City West	45	511	11.36	1.38	Buyer
Surprise	195	1,975	10.13	-0.15	Buyer
Tempe	92	385	4.18	-1.11	Seller
Tolleson	28	281	10.04	-2.36	Buyer
Waddell	16	102	6.48	-0.19	Buyer
TOTAL	4,111	30,777	7.49	-0.42	Buyer

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes