Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Home?

With so much uncertainty and economic turmoil many are wondering: Is now a good time to buy or should I wait? Well that depends on your individual situation. If you are currently renting and are wanting to buy a home or are a first time homebuyer, (if you have not owned a home with in the previous three years then you are considered a first time homebuyer!) then it is a great time to buy. You may be saying but wait I do not think the Real Estate Market has bottomed and do not want to buy if I can wait and get a better deal. While it may be true that if you waited you could find a better deal, there are a few risks and presumptions that you are taking with this perspective.

1) You are attempting to predict the bottom and unless you research economic data all day and all night you will likely never accurately time the bottom, even most analysts can never accurately predict market bottoms. In other words you still probably will not get as good of a deal as you anticipated. You are better off beginning your search right now, finding something you really like and negotiating the most favorable terms.

2) If you wait until there is a “confirmed” bottom, there will be a lot more buyers and when you find a property that you like there is a much better chance that someone else will be eyeing that same property and you will not be able to negotiate as favorable terms.

If you act now you will have more room to negotiate due to the lack of other buyers who are waiting for the bottom. The best way to gain financially is to be a contrarian, to zig when others zag, if nobody is buying real estate and you are in the position to purchase a home buy one.

If you currently own a home and are paying a mortgage on it then you have a few options.

1) You can sell you home. However, in a buyer’s market there will be some downside with this option. The upside that I mentioned above for buyers will be the downside for you as a seller. If you can afford two mortgages it is not as big of a deal you can buy your new home and sit on your first home until the market turns and then sell it.

2) You can rent the property. If you do not want it to be a long term rental or investment property you should consider a lease to own option. This will attract a broader range of prospects; many people would like to purchase but just cannot qualify at the moment. With a lease to own option they are paying you a little bit of the down payment every month and will also have incentive to take care of the house as they are going to own it soon.

Buying a home should be viewed as that a home and perhaps a long term investment. Flipping properties does not work in a buyer’s market. There will be no short term gains, so begin your search now and find a house that you love, with a good Realtor you will have no problems negotiating terms that are in your favor and therefore get the best deal you can possible receive. If you have any questions or would like to speak to an experienced agent call Ron Thurber at 801-860-2049 or visit my website www.utahagent.org.