Items are being checked off your list this season: Christmas tree up; presents bought; packages shipped; cookies baked; contacted Realtor and Mortgage company - WHAT? As crazy as it sounds, if you are in the market to buy a home in the New Year this is the right time to make those calls. You may be thinking "there is no way I'm going to look for a home now!" While the thought of adding something so monumental onto your to-do list seems a bit insane, the timing actually might be perfect.

Let's say you want to start the home buying process in the New Year. With the extended tax credits for first-time and existing home buyers, this is a great plan. Why not get a jump start on things. With mortgage rates at all-time low, a call to a mortgage company could lock you into a great rate for up to 60 days - that's February 2010! The Houston Chronicle stated "For consumers who feel good about their jobs, 'there can't possibly be a better time to buy a house than right now.......To be able to get a 30-year fixed rate mortgage below 5 percent just shouldn't happen'" (Houston Chronicle 12.16.09)

"Well that's all well and fine, but I don't want to start looking yet." Contacting a Realtor now doesn't mean you have to aggressively start looking at homes now. With just some basic information, I can set you up with a personalized Client Gateway account. This automatically emails you new listings and any changes in target areas you may like. This is a great way to begin to see online what homes are available, pricing, inventory and help you begin to make your list of what you really want in a home. If you find a home you'd like to see, give me a call, text me, email me and we'll schedule a showing. Over 80% of home buyers begin on the Internet - you can do that while munching a plate of nearby cookies and check one more thing off your list.