The national housing market could hit bottom this year, but Florida real estate likely will need longer to recover from its steep downturn. That’s the outlook from three prominent economists who spoke to home builders Wednesday at the International Builders’ Show here.

Florida enjoyed outsized home pricing and fevered sales at the height of the housing boom. Now the state is suffering in equal measure from the correction. Cities in Florida ranked at the top of the 20 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most foreclosures in 2007, according to RealtyTrac Inc., a California broker of real estate data.

Miami ranked eighth among those 20 cities; Fort Lauderdale was 10th and Orlando was 20th. Foreclosures add to inventory, which in turn keeps prices down. The hard-hit areas all share a common characteristic: a glut of homes for sale. Before prices can turn up, excess inventory must be exhausted.

Experts in Palm Beach County real estate say that they expect the housing market to continue to weaken until later this year, indicating that the combination of federal tax rebates and drastically reduced activity by builders will allow home sales to hit bottom in late 2008.

Real estate agent Caesar Parisi stands ready with effective advice on buying or selling a Boca Raton Country Club Community Home.

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