From the South Florida Web site: Home sales continue to improve, but times remain tough for new home builders and sellers competing against distressed properties listing at deeper and deeper discounts. “This business that the market has bottomed out is absolutely ridiculous,” said Lewis Goodkin, an independent real estate analyst in Miami. “We’ll know we’ve hit the bottom when not only are sales going up, but prices have stopped dropping.” The Florida Association of Realtors reported existing home sales rose statewide and in South Florida in July for the 11th consecutive month. A total of 20,917 homes sold in Florida in July compared to 14,991 in July 2008, providing further hope for the industry.