In a December 19th post "This NYT Article Will Ruin Lives" I reacted quite strongly to this [1] story about single women buying RE in Brooklyn. Faithful Doom reader Old Mike reacted even more strongly to my opinion. I am far from admitting the possiblity that Old Mike is ever right, 
but over time it has become apparent that when he attacks so robustly it’s time to take a second look at the subject.
Then yesterday San Francisco’s Surreal Estate columnist Carol Lloyd wrote a thoughtful piece [2] that alluded to the NYT article and added additional information. A key quote from Lloyd (at the end of the passage quoted below [2] in context) neatly summarizes some concerns Doomers have had about the shape of the market in recent months.
"… I worry that the most vulnerable sectors of society — single women and minorities (another growing sector of home buyers) — are now deciding the time is right, just when the market is softening."
