What is holding up the real estate markets in many places now is the lack of available properties to purchase.
No existing home owner wants to sell unless they already hve a place bought. Plus anyone who bought a house in the last ten years has an interest rate three points lower than a mortgage is today. Another reason not to buy/sell. Lastly, there are now a lot of people like me that do not have a mortgage anymore on their current home and are not looking to go into debt.
All these things add to the lack of liquidity in the market.
N Central USA hardwood log prices have collapses and they tell me that you cant even give away Red Oak. Maple and a couple others are going in short and weak spurts. Lumber prices are crap obviously.
Maple export prices are not good at all. Germany used to get quite a lot and we all know what is happening in Germany. They tell me the Pacific rim export is collapsing.
That indicates bad times.
Just in time for the next administration.