TAMPA - Tampa Bay Realtors are trying to fight off a December funk, according to a monthly real estate agent survey from Credit Suisse. Not only has the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit lost some of its punch, but bay area home buyers were content to wait until prices hit bottom, agents told the survey team.

Home prices continued to decline in December, although the inventory of homes for sale got smaller. But even that might be temporary. The problem is foreclosures.

"We remain cautious on the level of potential bank-owned inventories that could come to market in the near future," Credit Suisse reported of Tampa Bay.