When friends ask me about the real estate market today, I can truthfully say it is very 'Hot'. This can be good if you are selling or bad if you are buying. For a home buyer, it is very challenging, and can be disappointing. Most new home construction is still back logged and the prices keep going up. To build new, you can expect to spend 6 months or more in an apartment just waiting. Inventory in many price ranges in most neighborhoods is very low. Many nice listings are snapped up in a hurry, again driving the prices up. Most of the real estate 'how to' articles are for sellers. This one, Mr. or Ms. Buyer, is for you! Following are some insights and helpful hints to help relieve your tension.

1) Select a knowledgeable, experienced local REALTOR to assist you. You are ahead of the game if you enlist an ABR, Accredited Buyer Representative. This designation means a REALTOR has taken an extensive course of study on buyer representation and joined a professional organization for Buyers Representatives. Be prepared to sign a contract with this agent. The contract requires you to buy through this agent, but it also requires the agent to use all means possible to help you find and secure the home you want. This agent is still paid by the seller 95% of the time. An exception might be a 'for sale by owner'.

2) Don't waste your time driving around calling off signs or looking at old printed lists. Half of these homes already have accepted contracts. Many are in the option period when inspections are being performed. Similarly, don't get too excited about something you pull up on the Internet and wonder 'Why didn't my agent show me this?'All listings on the Internet are shown as active until the closing when they are removed, sometimes 2-5 days after the fact.

3) Make loan application before you begin to look and get a letter of pre-approval. Know what your upper loan and price limit is before you start. You need that letter to present with an offer.

4) Forget about making a contingency offer. If you have a home to sell, wait until you have a solid, accepted offer to purchase before you write an offer on the next home. If you are able to buy another home without selling your existing home, do it, so you have time to shop for what you want. Then sell the other house.

5) Get as much data as possible on your preferred neighborhoods. What are the high, low, and average sale price? How many active listings are there at this time? What is the average time on market? This research will help you recognize whether a house is priced appropriately.

6) Try to see the whole selection of inventory in short order. If you plan to search for 3 weekends, most of what you saw early will be gone by the time you are ready to make a decision.

7) Try to keep an open mind. Don't eliminate a home because it needs paint, carpet or a new roof, if it meets your other criteria. It may be just right with minimal effort. Try not to get fixated on only one house. Select 2 or 3 that can work well for you.

8) When it is time to offer, ask your REALTOR, 'Is this home priced right?'. Don't dally, or sleep on it. Make a full price offer and demand a quick response with seller's signatures. Otherwise, while you are negotiating, another offer well may come in and you will be in a bidding war. Try to keep your offer simple and clean. Do you really need help with closing costs? Or to have the seller pay for the Home Warranty? It is fairly common for choice properties to sell over list. In the past, the role of a buyer agent was to help you get a home at the lowest price. Now a buyer agent is hired to help you get the home you want. Period.

9) Once the contract is signed you may enter an option period, where inspections are performed. You can accept the property as is, reject it, or take the risk of telling the seller,' I only want your house if

'Carol, I want the very best deal around when I buy a house!' This is something I hear sometimes when I meet with a buyer for the first time. Whether, we say it or not, it is the hope we all share when we get ready to make that major investment! If you are considering buying a home, here are a few ideas on how to place yourself in the strongest negotiating position. Some factors are out of your control, but others may give you just the edge you need to help you leave the closing table smiling!

First, be sure you are assisted and represented by a trained, qualified Buyer's Agent. In the 'Olden Days,' all REALTORS were sub-agents of the seller. In 1997, Buyer's Representation has become commonplace. Any agent can agree to provide buyer's representation. There is, however, a special designation, the ABR, which serious professionals including me, have taken time to earn. An Accredited Buyer Representative has been through a special course of study and testing to qualify for this title. She also pays dues yearly to belong to a professional organization and receive updated information monthly. A Buyer's Representative will ask you to sign a contract which requires the agent to work diligently on your behalf, and requires the buyer to work only with that agent, for a specified time frame in a designated market area. The vast majority of sellers offer to pay the fee for the selling agent, including Buyer's Agents.

Can you present a strong financial package to the seller? Most of us cannot afford to pay cash for a home but we can get prepared for a smooth and trouble-free mortgage loan. Most mortgage loan officers are only too happy to help you become 'pre-qualified.' This means that he or she has considered information you have provided and advised you as to the highest loan amount you should consider and thereby the sales price of your home. This is a great start. Carry it a step farther, and become 'pre-approved.' This means that the lender has run a detailed credit report on you which turned out satisfactory, and perhaps has verified the information you have given him on employment status, outstanding debt, etc. Believe me, when a seller gets an offer from someone who has a letter of loan pre-approved, that buyer is in a strong negotiating position!

Are there several properties that will meet your wishes and needs? When you can be satisfied with several selections, instead of only one, you have a better negotiating position. When several are available, we call this a 'buyer's market.' You many even have your agent write up two or three offers to present in sequence, one at a time, until you are happy with the deal. Remember, new construction is often sold at a premium. There is very minimal negotiating there.

Do you have to sell another property before you can buy? My advice to you is to sell the other home before you even offer on the next property. Your REALTOR will need to help you with the timing, but most sellers will not give the best concessions to a buyer who still has an unsold home. While you may not have closed the sale of the first home, at least, have it in pending before you make anther offer.

Does the seller have high motivation to sell the property, or is he 'testing the waters?' Sometimes, making an offer is the only definitive way to find out . In general, homes that have recently been listed have sellers who are very optimistic about the home's value.

Can you keep your offer to purchase 'clean' and 'simple?' I advise buyers to decide what is most important and try to accommodate the seller on as many other issues as possible. Don't ask the seller to pay closing costs or discount points for you, if it isn't absolutely necessary. Put in as few conditions as possible. You will be more likely to get what you want-a good sales price!

Can you purchase in the fall or winter? Some of the best '