TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY ---THAT IS THE QUESTION

This is the age old question for someone thinking about buying real estate. It's funny that several years ago when the feeding frenzy on real estate was with us and the prices were rising and rising you couldn't stop someone from buying real estate, fighting in bidding wars and now with prices down, rates at historical lows and a great $8,000 tax credit being given, people are sitting on the fence wondering what to do. As Donald Trump said on the TV the other night, this is the BEST time to buy real estate. I would suggest reading articles from Realty Times and other informative sources. Google real estate news and get the consensus from people doing stats on new loan applications etc. so you can compare what happened last month with this month. Our company just ran stats on what is selling in our area and it appears that the higher priced homes are not selling as well as homes in the 175-275 price range. That tells me if I am a purchaser looking to buy in that higher price range I might be able to find a really good buy.Hello, is anyone out there.

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

The housing market is looking healthier. Here are six reasons why now is the time to jump into the market.1. Uncle Sam is willing to help. First-time buyers (defined as anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years) are entitled to a maximum $8,000 tax credit; interest rates are at record lows; and the Federal Reserve is doing its best to make mortgage loans available. 2. People have to live somewhere. About 800,000 new households are formed each year in this country, ensuring that the housing market will tighten, even if the economy doesn’t soar.3. Borrowers leverage their investment. If you put $10,000 into the stock market and it earns 10 percent, you’ve earned $1,000. If you put $10,000 down on a home and its values increases 10 percent, you’ve made $10,000.4. When prices come back up, you’ll have instant equity. In parts of the country where foreclosures have driven down prices, better times will mean the price of the home you buy will rise rapidly.5. Mortgage costs stay the same. If you get a fixed-rate mortgage, the monthly payment stays the same – while everything else, including rent, goes upward.6. You own it. There is something comforting in the notion that your home is your own. You can paint it any color you want, let the dog run in the back yard and hang a swing for the kids in the front.Source: The Wall Street Journal, June Fletcher (03/27/2009)