Buying stuff you don't really need with money you don't really have to impress people you don't really like is a really bad financial plan!

You can find more "pearls" at his website: www.DaveRamsey.com

Condo sales numbers were even more impressive, up 42.8% over the previous year, although prices softened 2% to a median $299,000.

First time home buyer credits up to $8,000 are still available as are "repeat" buyer credits up to $6,500, but to qualify buyers MUST be in escrow by April 30.

Interest rates are still hovering around 5%. For folks who've been on the fence about buying, there's a lot of incentive to jump now rather than wait for higher prices, higher interest, and no more generous refunds Uncle Sam.

Brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS, the web site offers help on virtually any question involving caring for and improving your home, your yard, even your neighborhood. For everything from Additions to Zoning, this is fast becoming the go-to site for homeowners.

You can create your own file of projects and clippings to personalize the site. What's on your to-do list this weekend? Remodeling? Doing your taxes? Organizing the garage? Srucing up the yard? Appliance shopping? Take a look at www.HouseLogic.com for help and inspiration.

Today my email contained a note from a visitor to my web site who was dismayed that my blog was identical to those she'd seen on many other real estate sites. She asked, "Isn't there some realtor code of ethics?  It is clearly called plagiarism in academia." Wow.

I was less than thrilled with the bland writing style of the purchased content bearing my by-line, but never considered it plagiarism or an ethical issue. NONETHELESS, someone out there was annoyed enough about that store-bought blog with my by-line on it to complain about it. Point taken! And mahalo to the writer for kicking me out of my inertia!  

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability.  Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows.  Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life.  It’s important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial “comfort zone.”  To that end, it may be more important to lock in today’s relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today’s market.