From the Publisher

Maybe you’ve been waiting to buy a new home. If so, what are you still waiting for?

Okay, you’ve heard plenty of “buy now” messages over the years and might be justified in thinking, “Builders think any time is the time to buy.”

Fair enough. The economy has been such a mess recently that it’s difficult to know who or what to believe. And the so-called experts haven’t been particularly smart when it comes to declaring with any certainty that the real-estate market has finally hit bottom.

But there are plenty of compelling reasons to believe that the time has come for fence-sitters to hop off. In fact, that’s the topic of a special section called Smart Moves, which you’ll find inside this issue of Florida Homebuyer Tampa Bay.

In Smart Moves, we stay away from the hype and stick to the facts. In particular, you’ll get the facts about the new $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers that’s part of the economic stimulus package passed by Congress in early February.?

Between the new tax credit—which, unlike last year’s $7,500 incentive, does not have to be repaid—lower prices and falling interest rates, there’s no question that just about everyone who can qualify for a loan can now buy a home.

And the numbers show that more people are doing just that. For the past several months, home sales have been picking up while inventory has been dropping. That means supply and demand are coming back into equilibrium and prices are stabilizing.

So check out the Smart Moves section. Then look at the listings and advertisements in this issue and visit some communities that interest you. There’s not much more, if anything, to be gained by waiting.

Also in this issue, we look at green condominium construction and offer our usual comprehensive neighborhood directories, our regional roundup, our school guide and a brand-new edition of REMODEL Tampa Bay. Enjoy it!

KIM HANNIGAN
Publisher
kimh@florida-homebuyer.com