There's buzz in my local real estate market. Activity is on the rise, which is a welcome relief from the doldrums of the past several months. I've experienced it personally; my listings are suddenly registering more showing appointments and more and more buyers are reaching out. Agents in my office (there are 100+ of us) are also experiencing it. Our broker reported the other day that showing appointments for the office are up 57% in the past two weeks. And agents with whom I speak throughout the REALTOR community are talking about it as well.

It's too early to say if this sudden, refreshing change of pace is the beginning of a trend or just a blip on the realty radar, but taken in the context of improved stock market news and other encouraging signs, it could just be that we're starting to turn the corner on the road to normalcy. What that means to would-be buyers is that time could be running out on the best period of opportunity I've ever seen in 37 years in the business. That may just be my dominant ,optimistic side expressing itself, but the only way we'll know for sure is when we see prices rising and market times shrinking. Unfortunately for the hold-outs, by then it will be too late. The best buys will be behind us.

So, though I might sound like a broken record, it very well could be time to get a move on. Inventories and market conditions still give qualified buyers a great selection of homes at prices not seen for years. In addition, interest rates remain historically low, at least for the time being. And for the first-time home buyer there's still time to cash in on the $8,000 tax credit. You have through November 30th of this year to find yourself a home and close the deal--just under eight months. After that, bye-bye $8,000. (Be sure to visit my website, www.BobDohn.com, for detailed Q&A on the tax credit.)

They say all good things must come to an end. Shrewd buyers who have been holding back, waiting for the market hit bottom, now run the risk of out-smarting themselves by waiting a little too long.