Realtors get cheerful note on trend of interest rates

These are not the best of times for real estate agents - but neither do they expect the future to be the worst of times. Despite the sluggish pace of the housing market, there was a note of optimism at a meeting of the 700,000-member National Association of Realtors. Outgoing president John Wood projected that the recession will ease and mortgage rates could fall to 13 percent by the end of next year.