It seems nearly everyone is a naysayer when it comes to the real estate market. In fact, I get asked all the time about "how's the real estate market doing," and over 90% of the time I am met with opposition when I say "2012 could be a good year for real estate, and here's why."

It also seems that everyone American has an opinion and thinks they are an expert on the real estate market these days. Personally, as a real estate professional who prides himself on his knowledge of the market, I spend an immense amount of time immersing myself in data and learning as much as possible about our local real estate market and the factors that affect it on the local and national level. So, I do consider myself a rather well versed analyst.

It is of my opinion that we are already experiencing a housing recovery, or more appropriately that the necessary components for a sustained housing recovery continue to grow… but don't tell my mother that (one of the most recent "experts" I have encountered).

I've talked at length for a while now as to the stats and factors that make me believe 2012 can be a good year for the Seattle area housing market, so I'm not going to delve into them again. But, in a nutshell, these factors include (but are not limited to):

• Increasing sales and buyer demand
• Limited supply of homes to choose from
• The snail's pace of new housing starts (future limited supply)
• Improving consumer sentiment
• Improving job market
• The high concentration of foreclosed homes in particular areas/regions skewing the truth in local markets
• Already stabilizing or stabilized prices in areas
• The growing affordability of buying instead of renting