"This year in particular may be different than other years," says Beth Tyler, a broker with Long & Foster Real Estate in Annapolis, Md., who says the economy has boosted many sellers' motivation to sell.
"Interest rates are at an all-time low, prices are greatly depressed and inventory is plentiful," says Nick Burrafato, broker/owner of Florida HomeGallery Real Estate in Orlando, Fla.
"The holiday season is a particularly good time for first-time homebuyers to find a home," says Rich Hayden, senior loan officer for HomeFirst Mortgage Corp. in Alexandria, Va. "But get prequalified with a mortgage broker or lender early. The typical turnaround to close a home is 30 (to) 60 days, so it's best to get started right away."
"The housing market appears to have reached a floor through the June to September period," says Steve Murray, editor of REAL Trends, a real estate industry publication.
"December home sales usually make up about 8.1 percent of total annual home sales," he says. The peak months are May, June, July and August -- each nearly 11 percent of annual home sales. The only months lower than December are November, January and February.
