Today’s real estate environment is considered a strong buyer’s market with more home sellers than buyers. Home prices and interest rates are at the lowest they have been in the last 10 years, so now you can get “more house” for your money than ever before.

Real estate continues to be a great investment, but buying or selling a home in today’s market requires the expertise, skills and experience of a Realtor, to take care of all the details, keep this complicated process on track, and help you avoid delays and costly mistakes.

When buying, you want to make sure you are choosing the right home for your family and making a smart investment.

I can help you:

• determine your buying power and financing options
• find the best home at the right price for you
• investigate all available properties in your market area through the Multiple Listing Service, the internet, other Realtors, even if you are locating to another city
• arrange home inspections and point out any concerns or issues with the property
• serve as your negotiating advisor from the offer to purchase through to the closing

Breaking News! $8000 Tax Credit Can Be Used for Down Payment

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on Tuesday said that the Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow home buyers to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment.

Previously, most buyers wouldn’t receive the funds until after they filed their tax return, and that deterred some people from using the credit. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has been calling for the change.

“We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a down payment,” Donovan says. His remarks came in an address to several thousand REALTORS® gathered Tuesday morning at “The Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy,” at the 2009 REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C..

He says FHA’s approved lenders will be permitted to “monetize” the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.