Many potential home buyers want to know if this is the right time to get back into the housing market. The real estate sector has been one of the hardest hit sectors of the economy. The experts seem to be divided as to whether or not this is a good time to buy a home.

It may be years before the economy and the housing market fully recovers. In fact, the housing bottom cannot be called until values have stabilized and are on the way back up across the nation. In the midst of all this uncertainty, could now be the right time to invest in a home?

A quick Internet search will reveal many different opinions on whether to buy now or wait. It could very well be the right time for YOU to buy, based on lower property pricing and historically low mortgage rates. Educating yourself about the current market situation, and determining your needs and time frame is essential before you decide to invest in a home.

Many people believe that because property values have fallen so low, homes are now priced below their market value. While there are certainly some homes on the market now that ARE undervalued, or priced lower than what the market can bear, most homes are not underpriced. Even REO homes (those that are now bank owned due to foreclosure or deeds in lieu of foreclosure) are not always priced below fair market value.

Yet amidst all the uncertainty about when the housing market will fully recover, and whether or not housing values and prices will fall further, there are facts out there that support buying a home now. Mortgage rates are at almost historical low levels, and house prices are back at values not seen since 2003. This could be an excellent time to buy if you believe you will keep the property for several years and can wait for the housing market to stabilize.

It is thought by many that the low mortgage rates are not likely to last beyond the first quarter of 2010. The Feds have been keeping mortgage rates low by purchasing mortgage backed securities, but that subsidy will end March 31, 2010. At that point, most analysts believe rates will rise.

Low mortgage rates allow a potential home buyer to qualify for more home at the same monthly payment. There is no way to know now how high or how quickly mortgage rates might rise, but rates are currently about 1% – 1.5% below where they were just a year ago, so that can create a substantial opportunity for a home buyer.

In addition to the low prices and low mortgage rates, the government is encouraging home purchases with a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first time home buyers. Existing home owners can get a tax credit of up to $6,500 for buying a home. Buyers must accept purchase offers no later than April 30, 2010, and must close on that purchase by June 30, 2010, in order to qualify for these tax credits. Some states are offering even more cash incentives.

The United States has experienced many recessions throughout history. In fact, boom and bust cycles are an economic norm. While this recession has been the worst since the Great Depression, no one doubts that it will end and housing values will rise again. Property has almost always been a great investment in the long run. It is very likely that those who purchase now will reap financial benefits in a few years.

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Due to the many existing types of mortgages, knowing how to choose the right one is a challenge to many. In order to fully understand the various options, we have provided a brief breakdown. Bear in mind that the country has been in a mess when it comes to mortgage lenders giving out money to people that could not afford to buy so be sure you are in a good financial position to succeed as a homeowner.

Fixed rate Mortgage is the first type of mortgage which is also referred to as FRM. It is designed so that the interest rate would not change all through out the life of the loan. The advantage of this type of mortgage is that every month, the amount of the mortgage payment would be consistent, thus making it much easier to create a monthly budget.

Adjustable Rate Mortgage, or the ARM is the next type of mortgage. This differs from an FRM because the approved interest rate would fluctuate depending on the current market’s movement. The ARM is preferred to offer by mortgage lenders because some risk would be eliminate. Just like for instance, if mortgage rates increase, interest rates also increase. Of course, interest for an ARM can also go down and typically, the rate at loan origination would be lower than what you could get with an FRM.

The ARM and the GRM or what we call Graduated Rate Mortgage may sound similar but they are different from one another in such case that for the GRM, the interest rate would change but instead of jumps, the increase is done gradually over a specified amount of time. If there is any changes in payment you would be notified and you will know your exact monthly obligation. Moreover, this type of loan begins low and as the term progresses, the payment would increase. For people who are deciding to buy a first home, moving to a new city, or starting a new career would choose the GRM over other mortgage options.

The last mortgage type that we would to address is the Balloon Payment Mortgage, which can be established with either fixed or adjustable terms, basing on the lending institution. The primary consideration for this certain loan is that while monthly payments start low, once the loan reaches maturity, you would be required to pay any balance in one, lump sum, which is generally large. As often, this type of loan is offered to commercial borrowers in that risk for residential borrowers is too great for lenders to approve.

Bear in mind that even if this information should help, if you are not sure as to the right mortgage for your specific situation, we highly suggest you try to visit your local bank, a mortgage company, or other lending institution for guidance. Additionally, you can search through top search engines for mortgage calculators and crunch numbers on your own.

Lou Fresco is a real estate investor based in Texas. He is a former estate agent and writes widely about issues related to real estate and finance. His current interests are focused on the UK home buyers market and how it’s been affected by their property crash. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.

There is wonderful news for people considering purchasing a home! Congress has recently passed further legislation, as a portion of the plan for energizing the U.S. housing market, that makes the Federal tax credit of up to $8,000 now available to even more first-time home buyers. Additionally, some people who now own a home and would like to purchase a new one will also be eligible for a Federal tax credit of up to $6,500.

The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit extends and improves the existing legislation that is no longer in effect on November 30. Both new and move-up buyers can now get the benefits of the Federal tax credit. Of course, this is in addition to the current historically low mortgage interest rates.

Here are the new key provisions:

* The first-time buyers’ $8,000 has now been extended through April 30th, 2010. * Current homeowners are now eligible for a $6,500 tax credit, provided they have resided in the residence they are selling as their principal residence for at least five straight years within the past eight years. * The income limits for qualifying buyers were increased to a range of $75,000 to $125,000 (for single buyers) and a range of $150,000 to $225,000 for couples. * Time has been extended to make allowance for closing the home purchase. If they have a legal contract by the last day of April, they will subsequently have until the end of June, 2010, to close the purchase. The qualifying purchase price of the new residence must be $800,000 or less.

Additional details:

* Tax credits provide a dollar-for-dollar payment of taxes owed with any surplus funds available as a refund. The amount of the credit will be first credited toward any tax liability for the purchase year. Next the amount remaining will be paid to the buyer. (For example a first-time buyer whose tax liability is $2000 would receive a payment of $6,000). * Any single-family home purchased to be used as a primary residence (including condos, co-ops) will qualify assuming that it is purchased by the 30th of April, 2010 and closes by the 30th of June, 2010. * The entire amount of the tax credit is available for individuals who have an adjusted gross income of no more than $125,000 or $225,000 on a joint return. When income is greater than these figures, the amount of the tax credit is reduced until the upper limit is reached – $145,000 for individuals or $245,000 of joint income.

Jim Navary has been a freelance writer and researcher for more thirty years covering a wide range of topics. He is also a licensed real estate salesperson in the Commonwealth of Virginia specializing in real estate in the Tri-Cities area of Virginia and, in particular, Tri-Cities Area, Virginia, area homes for sale.