You don't need a crystal ball to try to predict the future of the real estate market.  Every time there is a downturn, an upward trend always follows.  The best course of action is to look at the causes, and make decisions based on unbiased facts and incontestable history.

As the choice of loan options grew these last few years, consumers could buy a home more easily.  Wall Street took notice of all the hot action in real estate, and investment firms were able to shift the ownership of mortgages to their managers and clients.

Then about three years ago, the market began cooling, as incomes did not increase at the frantic pace that home prices did.  Investors had created an atmosphere of unrealistically high appreciation.  The perfect storm was brewing.

This cycle of up and then down seems more drastic now, because we enjoyed a longer than usual boom of activity, a full decade of it between 1995 and 2005.  But demand still remains high, and although rising slightly, our historically low interest rates also help to fuel property purchases.

While there is no such thing as a national real estate market, we should be seeing improvement across the board as 2009 draws to a close.  If you can, it's wise to buy now - before the ball lands back in the sellers' court.

Larry has over 15 years of experience in Bank Repos and Short Sales and non foreclosed real estate, my clients include General Electric Mortgage, Home Savings, Associates Finance, Transamerica. Current clients include Bank of America, Ocwen Financial Corporation, Countrywide and Keystone Asset Management to name a few. Larry is President of Weichman Associates located in Costa Mesa California. He has sold real estate since 1976 and is a 3rd generation Real Estate Broker. Larry has closed escrow on over 1,000 properties; from townhomes to commercial buildings. Please be sure to visit us on the Internet at www.TeamWeichman.com, www.OCHomeTracker.com or www.OCRepoBroker.com or you can call me at 714-241-4532