Industry groups have the right - nay the duty - to promote their members. But sometimes the search for golden nuggets among the dross goes to extremes.

Take the National Association of Realtors report that came out this week touting housing success stories.

It praised rising condo markets in such locales as Bismarck, N.D., and New Orleans. Winter wheat and Katrina clean-up: We're not talking Key Biscayne here. The report also played up bargains in the Rust Belt. Anyone for Youngstown, Ohio, Decatur, Ill, and Saginaw, Mich?

One of "success stories" stuck in my craw for personal reasons. NAR praised Elmira, N.Y. for its 10 percent home price rise the past year. It was the second biggest price jump in the whole Northeast. That happens to be my hometown. Family and friends live there. Let's make one thing clear: The rise is misleading statistical bunk.

Though its local focus was a bit silly, the report was helpful in one regard: It revealed that 48 of the 149 metropolitan statistical areas monitored by NAR had higher median single family home prices year over year. Even with Elmira-like anomalies in the mix, it's reassuring to know not every market is tanking.

Here's the full report.