Why buy a home now? According to CNN Money, there are a couple of very compelling reasons. One is the home buyer tax credit, which expires on April 30. You need to have a purchase agreement signed by April 30, and you must close by June 30. Don't forget that the credit is not just for first-time home buyers: credit is also available to homeowners who have lived in their home for five of the past eight years.

Another big reason to act now is that mortgage rates are expected to increase nearly a full percentage point by the end of the year, if the Fed stops buying mortgage backed securities at the end of March, as it plans to do. According to CNN Money, that means you could save $174 per month on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage on a $300,000 house by buying now, when rates are around 5%, rather than waiting until they're up to 6%.

Affordability is at record levels. According the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, affordability is up more than seven percent from a year ago, and up 45% from two years ago.

The spring buying season is underway, and I’m definitely seeing an uptick in buyer and seller activity. If you can afford to buy a house, there may be no better time!