While home prices in some parts of the nation are falling, Charlotte managed to eke out modest gains when compared to last year. The most watched Standard and Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index released recently showed Charlotte posting a 1.8 percent rise in January as the 20-city index fell 10.7$ 5 $7- the steepest decline in the index's two decade history. Local officials and real estate agents cited the strength in the regional economy and Charlotte's history of more modest house price growth during the boom years as reasons the market was holding up now. A real estate broker said, "We are still selling here in Charlotte"

That's not to say Charlotte, with approximately 1.7 million people in its metropolitan area, isn't feeling the same pressures as the rest of the nation. "You have to try a little harder to sell more of your listings, but homes are selling," said a broker in the city. The Charlotte area is home to 9 Fortune 500 company headquarters, including 2 of the country's 4 largest banks, Bank of America Corp. and Wachovia Corp. More than 14,000 jobs were created in the Charlotte area last year, compared with about 12,000 jobs in 2006.