Golden Opportunities for home buyers in the greater Houston, Katy, Sugar Land and surrounding areas in 2008

  More Buyers, especially first time buyers will be able to afford the American dream of home ownership in the next few years. 2008 will represent the best window of opportunity that buyers will have to find excellent deals with excellent financing. Prices in our area have remained fairly stable unlike other parts of the country so more people will be able to buy rather than lease a home to live in.  One of the biggest joys of being a Realtor is to help someone buy their first home; it's exciting for me to see someone buy their fist home.  It is a milestone in most people's lives, especially when you help them make the right decisions about the right price they can comfortably afford, the right neighborhood for them to enjoy, and the smiles at closing.  I still remember the joy of course mixed with a little "Oh my God am I doing the right thing" when I bought my first home in 1978 in West Memorial.  If I remember correctly the price I paid for an 1800 square foot 3-2-2 was $52,000.   My interest rate was 9.5%, sounds high today, however in just a few short years rates jumped to 18% + points!  Today that home would sell for around $120,000 and you can get a 6-6.5% rate with no points.  Certainly not in the same league as CA, but our overall cost of living is substantially less here also.  It's fun to help other people achieve their dream of buying their first home too. One of the greatest joys for me of being a Realtor has been to help someone through that happy and scary time.  Sometimes there is some handholding needed along with reassuring them they are making the right decision.

When you consider buying vs leasing there is no question that buying a home is the better financial decision.  When you buy a home you have a hedge against inflation, and raising interest rates.  You have a fixed monthly payment instead of having to worry about lease prices going up.  It's your home, so you can paint it purple if you want to (on the inside); your home is your sanctuary.  You also have a tax write off, and of course you will have appreciation...it's just a matter of time.  Yes, prices go down, but they never stay down and will always come back up...just like the stock market.  I have always bought real estate, not just to live in but also as rental/investment property too.  Its part of having a well rounded portfolio.  Owning rental property is not for everyone, but owning your own home to live in, raise you family in, enjoy making it your special retreat to call home is.

Buyers can also expect better service too because when the market gets tougher     Realtors have started leaving the business in droves. The agents that are left will be the ones better trained, skilled and knowledgeable, and then obviously the consumer will be the ones that benefit the most.  I survived and thrived in Houston during the big crash of the late 80's and early 90's which put me far ahead of the pack during this most recent and far less dramatic price decline.  If you have been putting off buying your first home now is the time to take that leap of faith, so call a reputable Realtor and take advantage of one of the best times ever to buy a home.

Liz Carter, owner/broker Liz Carter & Team Realty has been helping families buy and sell homes since 1976.  She has three generations of her family on her team and is now helping second generations of clients.  They have averaged selling 200 homes a year, and have ranked in the top 25 agents for production by volume and number of homes sold by the Houston Business Journal out of 25,000 agents every year.  This past year they placed #11, regardless of company affiliation by the HBJ.  Visit them at their information packed web site, http://www.lizcarter.com/, or call 281-391-SOLD (7653).