Are house prices at their lowest now? Do you think they will go lower in the near future

Question

Is NOW a good time to buy an investment home for a rental property?

I need to know ASAP, as I have MUST confirm with the realtor TODAY!

PS-the location is in an older private established neighborhhood near Orlando and Disney.

Answer 1

I believe they will go lower, but I am only familiar with California markets.  Real estate is a tricky thing because there are pockets and local markets that don't fit the national average and such.  Though I can say if it's in an older and well established neighborhood than you can pretty much depend on it's own stability and it might be a good investment.

Answer 2

I think prices will probably generally go lower, but in one area I work where they have just been crushed, they have stabilized (st least for now).  In this area you can make so much money renting that prices have met a kind of natural barrier, where they aren't going any lower because investors are scooping everything up and renting it out.  Still, things keep going the way they are and I'll bet eventually rents will go lower.

Anyhow, even if prices do keep going lower, its a sure bet that eventually interest rates will go higher (hard to say exactly when) which will make buying a place that much tougher.  So, I'd advise thats its an ok time to buy a place and hard to say where prices will go in any one area.  

If I were you I'd just buy it if you can make alot of money renting it out, and take a pass if it would be cash flow negative or even neutral.