Along with the celebration that we are a hot real estate market, we are a bit concerned that we can become a bit too much like Belltown.

Steve Clark reports on Page One that hotels, condominiums, apartments and a lot of retail space is being developed in "downtown" Ballard. So far, no one is planning to build 400 or 600 square foot broom closets for people to live in as they are in Belltown.

But there is one thing certain, prices will be edging up for condos and most certainly for apartments.

There is a bit of gloom on the horizons as many in the real estate world are worried that housing prices will max out and begin a tumble. Some say that might happen, but not in Ballard. We aren't so sure.

Seattle is generally a hot market with prices soaring higher and higher each reporting period. Some are genuinely worried whether we can still afford to house the poor and those who are struggling with their rent or house payments now. Many of the new developments have no place for what is called "affordable housing," whatever that is.

Ballard is hot, so are other sections of Seattle. We just hope that Seattle does no become like San Francisco, where only the very rich and the very poor live. That is not a future of covet.

-Jack Mayne