Home Buyers are finding themselves in the "Driver's Seat" these days in the Puget Sound.

Statistics recently published from the Northwest Multiple Listing service show 22,515 homes were listed For Sale in King County and Snohomish County combined in April of 2008.  It has been reported that this is the highest number of homes on the market in the Puget Sound EVER!

Now may be the best time EVER to find and buy a great home!  It's purely a matter of mathematics, supply and demand:  there are MANY wonderful homes available in all sizes, shapes and, yes, even price ranges.

First Time Home Buyers:   There are thousands of outstanding homes available priced between $300,000-$500,000.  And there are great financing programs - with "gift" funds available for down payments, if you qualify (talk to an experienced loan consultant for more information).

Move Up Buyers:   If you have considered "Moving Up" to a larger or newer home, or a home on more property - NOW is also a great time!    While you may receive "slightly less" when you sell your home (than you would have last year at this time), you will likely get a "better bargain" on a larger or newer home, because there is such a huge inventory of homes available.

Investment Buyers:    Rental rates are also rising all over the Puget Sound - and a good rental home is harder & harder to find.  So now is a fantastic time to purchase a home, duplex, tri-plex or multi-family property -  for a great value, and utilize it as a rental.  Not everyone is cut out to be a landlord, but there are excellent Real Estate Management companies available to assist you.

The other good news for Home Buyers is that interest rates are still relatively low - and more loan programs are becoming available every day.

When will the real estate market turn around in our area?  No one knows.  But here are two things we do know:  

1) Real estate appreciates over time, and  2) The time to buy is when prices are Low.