Im a newbe here, but I think two things are happening for the decreased traffic. One, before being a housing bear was like being a Christian in Rome in the early days. We needed the mutual support to maintain the faith. Now everybody is a believer in the downturn, so that self reinforcement isn’t necessary anymore. Just open any newspaper and hear all about falling prices and a lack of demand.
Two, it seems that people use to grade properties alot. Someone would post something, and then it would get picked apart from every angle. Renters, LL,RE agents, morgage brokers, appraisers, everyone took their shot at why this house wasnt worth it. Now, most of the posts are either OT, or finanical in nature. People are biding their time and waiting cause there isnt anything else to do till selles get a clue and the payments start to adjust.
Plus most of the new posters are people looking for advice on how to save themselves, not real converts to a conservative economic view prevelent on this site. The advice is almost always the same, and not what was desired, so they keep wandering in the adjustable option arm waistland till they find their savior or run outa time.