Here’s an entertaining Google adventure: Search for “now is the time to buy a home” using Advanced Search and limiting the results to the past month. Record the number of results. I get 416 web pages with the phrase, “now is the time to buy a home”.

Now do the same thing with the phrase, “now is not the time to buy a home”. I get 0. No web page in the past month has declared, “now is not the time to buy a home”.

Finally, do both searches for the past year. “now is the time to buy a home” has 843 results while “now is not the time to buy a home” returns 14.

What’s this mean? I don’t know for sure, but I think it means those who want to sell (home owners, real estate agents, lenders) are speaking louder than those don’t want to buy.

It begs the question, of course, “is now the time to buy a home”.

As always, regardless of what anyone proclaims, buying a home is a significant, personal experience. Foreclosures and walk-aways are in the news on a daily basis. Some even declare they have quit making payments because it’s a good business decision. Whatever.

It’s only a good time to buy a home if it’s a good time for you.

Can you afford it? Can you afford it with a fixed rate mortgage? Can you afford it on one partner’s salary? Do you need to buy a home? Is the home you want to buy in good condition? Are you going to live in your home long enough for it to be cheaper than renting? There are a lot of questions a home buyer must ask and answer honestly.

It’s always easy to find someone who will tell you now is the time to buy a home. Only you can determine whether now is the time for you to buy a home. Protect yourself out there!