Afraid to jump into the real estate market?

Many buyers and sellers that I have spoken to recently are afraid to jump into the real estate market right now. With all the doom and gloom from the media, who can blame them? Sellers are afraid that they'll lose all their profits and equity, while buyers are afraid they'll buy a home and it will lose a big percentage of its value in a short time. So, when is the right time to buy or sell?

In Dallas/Fort Worth, any time is relatively safe. Our market was never in a real estate bubble like we've seen on the east and west coasts and while we have seen home values go down 1 - 2 percent or so in certain areas, mainly home prices are holding steady, not rising or falling. Granted, there are more foreclosures on the market right now and some relocation company owned homes are basically being given away, so there are deals out there, but I don't see home prices tetering on the edge of a cliff, getting ready to plunge down a large percentage.

I will be putting my own personal home on the market this coming spring and purchasing again, regardless of the news the media is putting out at the time. There are always going to be buyers out there, and DFW has gotten some good press on being a great place to work and live. The main thing you should be concerned about is whether your family needs a larger/smaller/more efficient, etc. home right now. The market is not as scary as the national news makes it sound. We are still moving here in Texas!