MEDIA, MEDIA, GO AWAY, COME AGAIN SOME OTHER DAY!

It seems EVERYBODY wants to talk about the real estate market "crisis" as soon as they see my realtor name tag on my jacket. The newspapers and television news is covering the so-called market crisis on a routine basis. Today was no exception. I had a first meeting with a great couple who are starting to pursue their first home purchase. They had few questions, but the first one was "so what about this real estate market crisis - is it "ok" for us to make a purchase at this time?"

The answer is "yes," this is a good time to buy in our Chicagoland market. The primary reasons for that answer are this: our Chicagoland economy is basically very sound, our home valuations have risen gradually over time (not fueled to a frenzied pace by investor buying), and mortgage money is still relatively cheap.

Sure, the market has cooled down, and home values have stopped soaring by 5-8% every year. But buyers and sellers are still signing contracts and closing transactions, but simply at a slower pace than the frantic pace that we experienced between 2000 and 2005.

Mortgage availability? Easy, as long as the buyer(s) have a good credit score, good debt ratios, and can verify income. Yes, the subprime mortgage market has done a major melt-down, blocking some buyers from entering the real estate market. But as we have seen, those sub-prime loans were largely granted to buyers who did not have the income to support the mortgage payments. No home buyer is well served by being granted a loan that they cannot afford. And that goes for the so-called "jumbo" loans as well (loans made for any amount over $417,000).

Talk to a great agent if you want to purchase a home (or sell a home), and talk to a trusted mortgage specialist about getting the financing you might need. With the right professional assistance, buyers and sellers are still coming together and getting people what they need: a closed transaction. In the past 30 days, no fewer than 27 homes were under contract within 30 days of going on the market on the North Shore alone. And one has already closed!