sales are not improving

Well, now, that is some sophisticated analysis right there. Must be true!

Sales are usually on national holidays that include a Monday, as well as white sales in January and back-to-school sales in August. Sometimes there are also seasonal sales on cruisewear.

http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/07/15/trouble-ahead-housing-inventory-rises-in-many-markets-in-june/

The number of homes listed for sale grew in many U.S. cities in June, a month that typically brings a slowdown in listings. Inventory grew amid signs that demand plunged after the expiration of the home-buyer tax credit.

Market should remain flat or get worse through to conclusion of November elections.
Uncertainty in where we are going in a potpuorri of issues to the pocketbook of Americans rules the rest of 2010.

Alan, BFD (Best Food Day, not what you think everyone) is Thursday in most of the world, Wednesday in the New York Times. In another generation (and who knows maybe now among some people), that was the most important "sale" of all...."What's on special this week at (fill in the blank with the name of your favorite supermarket.)?"

And yet, New York is not on the list in the WSJ article, which I would guess means that it failed to prove the article's point so they left it out.

OP is also specifically concerned with closings showing up on streeteasy, which isn't concerned with real estate outside the NY metro area. So the offered article has nothing to do with OP's comment.

Are we considering Restaurant Week as "Sales Been Close" as improvement in sales, since the menu is discounted? Or is the an outlying interger, because your spouse will only order the $20.10 lunch, while you insist on ordering direclty off the menu and padding your own bill.