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The housing industry's had a rough few years. Foreclosures are way up, home values are way down, and -- pardon my french -- but mortgage underwriters are so tight that if you stuck a lump of coal up their fist, in two weeks you'd have a diamond.

For home buyers, though, the "bad news" has come with a tremendous upside.

In housing, the basic law of Supply and Demand bestowed upon buyers an unbelievable amount of negotiation leverage.  Want a lower sales price? Just ask for it. Need your closing costs paid for? Write it into your offer letter. Want a quick closing? Sure, whatever you need.

But the Buyer Heyday may be over.  At least, that's what recent data suggests:

• The supply of new homes is falling at a precipitous pace
• Existing home sales are soaring in Cincinnati and other markets
• Home buyer activity is strong on all fronts -- first-time, move-up, and investor.

Furthermore, home prices are on the rise across a wide band of U.S. markets -- the smoking gun that the Buyers' Market is ending.

For now, mortgage rates remain low and the government is still supporting first-time home buyers with a generous tax credit.   If you're on the fence about buying a home or what to do next, call or .  I'd like to be your loan officer and if by chance I'm not licensed in your particular state, I'll point you to somebody that is.

Dan Green is an active loan officer. Email or call 513-443-2020. Dan is on Twitter at @mortgagereports.