Realtors aren’t totally comfortable with the coming reality of the Internet hurting their business, but there is yet another sign on the horizon. Seattle-based real estate Web site, Zillow.com, will be posting virtual "For Sale" signs, reports the Los Angeles Times.

"It’s just one more chink in the armor of the established brokerage industry. It provides consumers with more choices," Consultant Steve Murray tells the paper. Others see it as Zillow’s only move to compete with sales-oriented real estate sites. Unlike other selling sites, Zillow will rely on sellers themselves and not aggregate data from multiple listing services.

The big trick to Zillow is that it is Realtor-optional. Some will be posting listings but buyers can fly without a net and cut their own deal. The problem is that Zillow’s valuations are often generated on a thin basis of comps and, while they’re better than most guesses, they’ve shown they’re not perfect. The site will also have a "Make Me Move" tab where might-be sellers can set outrageous prices and see if a buyer will pay it.

The housing site may really come into its own if the good economic news from the UCLA Anderson Forecast is any guide. It says the housing freeze cannot kill the strong economy, much of which has been driven by the wealth effect of … rising home prices.

The subprime lending business, though, continues to generate lots of bad news. Ownit Mortgage shut up shop Wednesday and left 800 people without work. As a wholesale lender to the subprime market, the company said, its funding sources had dried up and it had no choice but to close.