The current market has seen in incredible degree of inertia by buyers to get out there and purchase a home. Let’s run through the standard set of excuses for not buying in today’s market.

1) Is the market still going down?
2) Will I be able to afford the payments?
3) What is the economy doing?
4) Will the current market affect future value?
5) Are there adverse conditions in the immediate area? (Foreclosure, flipping, etc).

Every one of these questions has one thing in common. A BUYER NEEDS MORE INFORMATION! They need SUPERIOR INFORMATION! People are sick of earning 2% on their certificates of deposit. They are tired of renting. They want a place to call their own. They want to invest.

Aa a buyer you need to get the answers you need.

If you feel the market is going down, try to get to a price you feel gives you a buffer to account for a little more market softness.

As to affordable payments, make sure you sit down with a reputable mortgage lender so they can see what you’ll have to pay and how much disposable income you will have for contingencies.

How is the economy doing? “If you wait for the economy to turn in the other direction, you will pay substantially more for this home. Trying to pick the absolute bottom of the market is like trying to do the same in the stock market. Real estate is a longer term investment and if you can’t come to grips with that, you may never buy a home. Real estate is “on sale” right now and interest rates are low”. It’s a good time to buy especially for first time homeowners. If you don’t believe that you should think about the ramifications of being a lifetime renter. If you don’t have the conviction this market will turn in the right direction in the foreseeable future, then renting may be the way to go.

Will the current market affect future value? “You’re asking me to get out the crystal ball and I won’t do that”. I will tell you that values vary by area and some do better than others but when the real estate tide begins to rise, almost everyone will make money. If you’re in before it happens, you’ll make more than most. If wait for the tide to rise, you’ll probably earn less money than most.

What about adverse conditions like foreclosures and flipping activity. Great question! Almost no area is immune from foreclosure activity these days. The question is, has the community performed well over time? If you’ve done your homework and you can say “This area has done relatively well over time" (and here’s the evidence), you have answered a key question for your client.

If you are going to make an endless stream of reasons not to buy, no one can help you. If you are going to take the initiative and proactively find the answers you need to make a good buy decision, it's probably time that you buy a home. Your objective is to find the best deal you can given the market conditions and what you will accept in your everyday life. Much of that will depend on the information you posess and if it will help you feel comfortable with the offer you are making. While you checking for quality information, check out www.homesmartreports.com.