Real estate

Housing starts, as they're called, were up 2.6 percent last month, and compared with last April, home construction was up almost 30 percent.

Zillow, Trulia and other sites contain inaccuracies that skew the market, real estate agents say. Some are pulling their online listings.

According to recent Gallup data, Americans feel home prices are still at a pretty low level -- but that also means many think it is a great time to buy.

Some would-be home buyers are unable to get loans for new places, but people who are getting back to work as the economy improves still want to move out of their parent's basement.

Home sales jumped 8% last month. Those numbers and better than expected quarterly sales in home improvement supplies could mean some long-awaited relief for the housing market.

Regardless of positive spin, the housing picture in the U.S. is less than rosy.

Gerard Cassidy thinks today's NAR Pending Home Sales index numbers are a sign that 2012 is the year the housing market recovers.

The online home-away-from-home broker is moving beyond short-term stays and inching toward real estate. And if you try out the new sublet section...

Posted by Daryl Paranada...