The average time homes spend on the sale block has decreased too, down about 30% from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors.

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That is big but not excessive for a block that is forecast by the European Commission to have an average budget deficit of 6.6% of GDP in 2010.

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Not only was the house strikingly different from the other, more traditional homes on the block, it was also priced at more than double the average for the area.

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