Home sales plunged in November, according to the latest numbers from the Commerce Department. The fall was the biggest national drop in the residential market in 12 years, reports the Associated Press.

The drop was particularly dramatic in the West, the numbers tumbled 22.1 percent. Analysts say the hottest markets have too much speculative buying, which has contributed to the problem.

While sales numbers will again set records for the year, the slump in the last two months, analysts say, means things will flatten out in 2006.

Of course, these national numbers don’t really help us decide whether the Southern Nevada market is softening or facing a hard landing or even a burst bubble for home prices.