Hottest and 'Not'-est Housing Markets of the '00s

Think back to New Years Eve, 1999.

Most of us were more worried about Y2K and the incoming Bush administration (damn you Nader!) than whether or or not it was a good time to buy a house.

If only we knew then, what we know now ... we probably would have bought in Fort Myers and have only made 0.5 percent over a 10-year period.

Using the most recent data from the National Assocation of Realtors, we were able to compile a list of the 10 strongest housing markets since 2000 and the 10 weakest. While the final numbers for the fourth quarter of 2009 won't be out until February, we think it's fairly safe to proclaim the winners and losers.

The big winner in the housing market appears to be ... drumroll ... the Northeast.