Taking Advantage Of The Current Market (NAPSA)—It’s no surprise that real estate infomercials are once again prevalent around the clock with promises of building longterm wealth. It’s during economic downturns such as this that prudent investors make their moves. There are a numberof ways consumers can take advantage of the current housing market. Forfirsttime homebuyersespecially, it can be a great time to buy. The government is continuing to work on mea- sures to help provide relief and opportunity for both first-time and multiple-time homebuyers. Besides being able to take advantage of the current favorable pricing and the large inventory of available properties, homebuyers are being given a number of incentives to achieve and save the dream of homeownership, such ashistorically low interest rates. According to Freddie Mac,the averageinterest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in February 2009 was approximately 5.25 percent. In February 1998, the rate hovered around 7 percent, whereas in June 2000 it spiked to 8.33 percent. Save The Dream Increasingly, real estate companies are working to rebuild consumer confidence in the housing market and the “American dream” of homeownership. One example of this is the CENTURY 21 “Saving the Dream of Homeownership” program, which: * Focuses on educating con- sumers on their individual real estate situations; and * Encourages consumers to seek professional advice from agents, brokers or financial advisers. The best way for people to A real estate professional can help potential homebuyers figure out whattheir best options are. realize the advantages of the market is to work with a real estate professional. “Our goal is to help as many homeownersaspossible to realize the dream of homeownership by providing counsel and information,” says Tom Kunz, president and chief executive officer of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “I encourage every consumer to sit down with a professional Realtor to examine their individual real estate situation and develop the best solution possible. The dream of homeownership will be realized family by family, individual by individual, and we’re happy to be playing such an important role in communities all across America.” Remember, real estate remains a great long-term investment, with U.S. prices growing almost every year since 1950. According to the National Association of Realtors, the average consumer lives in his or her homefor six years. For additional information, visit www.century21.com.
