Why Wait For Spring? Winter Is A Great Time To House Hunt

December is usually when people are looking to deck their own halls—not buy new ones. But buying a home in December and January can be a smart move.

Michael Corbett, Trulia TRLA +2.23%’s real estate expert and a bestselling author, is a big fan of the holiday season, what he likes to call “the lull.” He says that savvy home buyers should take advantage of this time if they’re serious about buying.

Why?

“Mortgage rates are low now, although they are higher than they were six months ago, and higher than they were last March,” Corbett says. “The price increases that were common in metro markets such as Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando are slowing. Even Atlanta, which had an average 19% price increase last year, is showing signs of cooling.” read more...