1. PRICE - Prices in all categories of resort properties have declined to much more reasonable levels following the rapid price increases that occurred between 2000 and 2006.
   
   
2. MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES - Interest rates on all types of mortgages are at historic lows.  In December, the Federal Reserve took the unprecedented step of lowering short term interest rates essentially to 0 percent.  As a result, 30 year fixed mortgage rates dropped below 5 percent for the first time in more than 30 years.  While mortgage rates could move slightly lower in the short term, rest assured that higher rates will be back. Its only a question of when.
   
   
3. INVENTORY - The large inventory of quality resort properties on the market today provides prospective buyers with an opportunity to find the ideal property that meets all of their personal requirements.
   
   

Although we are still in a buyer's market, recent news reports do indicate some improving trends.  For example, after months of declining sales volume, overall existing home sales in December in the United States were up 6.5 percent while existing home sales in the Southern region were up 7.4%.  While one month does not establish or confirm a trend, it does indicate for the first time in months that buyers and investors are coming back into the real estate marketplace.  As demand increases and the economy improves, real estate prices will once again start to rise.


It is impossible to predict with any certainty the perfect time to buy real estate.  Today's environment provides buyers with a unique opportunity including much more reasonable prices, historically low mortgage interest rates and a broad selection of quality properties to choose from in all price ranges.