by Calculated Risk on 1/10/2013 09:09:00 PM

Friday economic releases:
• At 8:30 AM ET, the Trade Balance report for November from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for the U.S. trade deficit to decrease to $41.1 billion in November from $42.2 billion in October. Export activity to Europe will be closely watched due to economic weakness. Note: the strike at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles started in late November and impacted this report.

• Also at 8:30 AM, Import and Export Prices for December. The consensus is a 0.1% increase in import prices.

This seems crazy, from the WSJ: Can I Buy Your House, Pretty Please?

In an echo of the last housing boom, ardent pitch letters from eager home buyers are popping up again in hot U.S. real-estate markets like Silicon Valley, Seattle, San Diego, suburban Chicago and Washington, D.C., housing economists and real-estate brokers say.

The heartfelt missives, often accompanied by personal photos, aim to create an emotional bond that can give their writers an edge—especially in situations where multiple bidders are vying for the same house. ...

“The market has gotten so crazy that money alone doesn’t talk,’’ explained Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin

Pitch letters?