From bad to worse? The headlines in real estate aren't pretty, but it's better to face reality than try to hide from it. Sales volume and mortgage applications are at historical lows. Is there any hope in sight? 75% of potential buyers say now is not a good time to buy and 72% cite high home prices as the reason. Mark's curveball topic: Lenders working with an appraisal firm vs. individual appraisers.