The question on everyone´s mind is, "Has the market bottomed out?" People want to know if now is the time to buy a home or if they should wait for further declines in home values.

Many have heard the old adages, "Buy low and sell high." and "Buy when everyone else is selling and sell when everyone else is buying." It´s easy to forget this timeless advice, though, when every day there is another expert hyping the decline of the housing market.

Remember: No one was able to predict the peak and no one can predict the bottom.

Stop waiting for the media to predict the bottom of the market. By the time they do, it will be too late for the average person to take advantage of the situation.

A sound and easy real estate investing strategy is to sell before the peak and buy before the bottom. This is easy to understand but harder to apply because the tendency is to get greedy. The desire to sell at the absolute peak and buy at the very bottom distracts most investors. Unfortunately, most people end up selling for much lower than the peak and buying much higher than the bottom.

So what happens if you buy now? You´ll take advantage of low interest rates and a lot of inventory, and since there is little competition, you will probably be able to negotiate a great bargain.

What if the market goes lower? Chances are it won´t, but even if it does, it probably won´t go significantly lower. The bigger risk is in the market improving. Buyers who are sitting on the sidelines will jump in, and the increase in competition will mean less opportunity to negotiate a great deal.

This is the best home buying opportunity of the past several years. Don´t get caught missing out. Take the deal!

Lyle Martin is a real estate veteran with more than 30 years of experience. In 1987, he and his business partner Mary LaMeres-Pomin left the "traditional" world of real estate to start Assist-2-Sell®, a full-service discount real estate company based in Reno, Nev. Today, Assist-2-Sell has more than 550 franchise offices throughout the United States and Canada. Lyle continues to serve as co-chief executive officer of Assist-2-Sell Inc. Thanks to Assist-2-Sell´s "Full-Service with $avings!"® marketing program, home sellers have saved more than $800 million in real estate commissions.* Entrepreneur Magazine has recognized Assist-2-Sell as a leading franchise and the Wall Street Journal´s StartupJournal named Assist-2-Sell one of its 25 "Franchise Top Performers." Lyle has also been named one of the "100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders" by Inman News.

*Savings based on statistics since January 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell® offices in North America, compared to paying six percent commission. Six percent used for comparison purposes only. Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

The spring home buying season is fast approaching and many people are preparing to take advantage of low interest rates and a great selection of well-priced homes.  Buying a home is exciting but it can also be overwhelming.  Here are some tips to make the process a little easier:

1. Get pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) for a mortgage before making an offer on a home or even doing a home search. A pre-approved home buyer is effectively the same as a cash buyer, which makes you stronger in the eyes of the seller.
2. Deliver all requested documents (e.g. bank statements, pay stubs and landlord affidavits) to yourlender in a timely manner.
3. Check from time to time to make sure your lender has verified the details of your mortgage application-sometimes a little nudging from you is needed to keep the application moving along.
4. Be careful not todo anything that may affect your mortgage application. Remember, the lendercan withdraw theapproval if your situation changes substantially. Don'tapply for new credit cards,take out a loan or make any major purchases (like cars or furniture). Also, now is not the time to change jobs.
5. Make sure you and your significant other are on the same page about neighborhoods, home price, home size, amenities, etc., before you start the home search.
6. Work closely with a real estate agent you trust and are comfortable with. He or she will help you learn about the currentmarket andhome values so you'll be ready to act with confidence when the time comes to make an offer. A purchase agreement is a binding contract. The time to do research is before you sign on the dotted line.
7. Have confidencein yourself and in theprofessionalsyou chose toguide you. It's fine to seek guidance from trusted advisors, but once you make the decision to purchase a home, stop looking for confirmation that you're doing the right thing. Everyone has an opinion but unless they've done the research, like you, don't rely on them for validation.
8. Direct all communications through your real estate agent.  He or she will work with your lender, home inspector and other parties throughout the entire home buying process.   
9. Understand that no home is perfect and every purchase involves some compromise. On resale homes, repairs or deferred maintenance may be necessary. Hire an objective home inspector who won't try to sell you on hiring their firm to make indentified repairs. Then review their report with your real estate agent and focus on items that indicate major repairs and/or replacements.
10. Avoid closing the last week (and certainly the last Friday) of the month, if possible.  Everyone is trying to get their sales closed by the end of the month, which means overworked title companies, lenders, etc.  Better to close a week early and have more time for the move.  Also, if there is a last minute glitch, you'll have time to get it fixed.   
11. Try not to let your emotions guide your decision-making process.  Buyer's remorse happens to nearly every home buyer.  Accept that it is a normal emotion and don't let it distract you too much. 
12. Make this home buying experience an opportunity to learn.  If you have questions, ask them.  Chances are you'll buy and sell several homes during your lifetime. 

Tips compiled based on feedback from Assist-2-Sell frachise owners.