Would you say that a condo that didn't sell and just raised its price is a good sign for the economy?

I hope so.

i don’t understand the logic of something not selling and then raising the price. would this be to make the prospective purchaser think that it’s more exclusive than previously?

hat makes no sense to me, I would have to say it means the owner is practicing wishful thinking.

I think it’s what I should do.

“just the whim of a real estate broker ”

No, it’s a marketing ploy that has been around for years. Go ahead and make the offer you want to.
When you see the actual sales and sales prices increasing you may infer a market improvement.