Now and for the past couple weeks we have been experiencing a slowdown of our local real estate market. Many buyers are taking a break from house hunting over these next few holiday weeks to spend time with friends and family. This isn’t unexpected – in fact it’s usually the case during this time of the year. What’s going to be more telling is what happens in the weeks following New Years. Interest rates have been dropping and there are lots of great deals to be had right now. The big questions is: why aren’t more buyers taking the plunge? It could be several factors – fall elections, world events, even the media perception that the market is a down market – but the point is, this is perhaps the best time to purchase real estate. The market being understandably slow for the holidays is no news, but what we’re all eagerly awaiting is to see how quickly and to what degree it begins to heat up after January 1^st. Many experts are now predicting an extremely hot spring this year. As inventory balances out, many buyers will finally be induced to make a purchase. Interest rates are predicted to stay firm if not fall slightly over the next few months. If this happens, we should see a hot spring. If you are a buyer, now is a great time to get out and look at what’s available. While the market is slow, inventory has piled up and there is now a great selection of homes all over Illinois.