True story, I can remember a time in 2003 when we were a young family renting a home in Fullerton. When we finally found out WHAT we could afford or how much home we could buy (hint), the home prices were around $185k in our area at that time. And of course macho me said "no way, we will wait until prices come

down". While waiting for prices to go down -- fast forward a couple of years, we buy the first family puppy, and as short as I can put it, no dogs allowed so we have to move. Worst timing ever, our kids were in elementary school; I was thinking about getting my real estate license and my wife really wants to buy a house, blah blah blah... Life!

We start looking... the first home was at the higher end of the budget, new construction behind the St. Jude Hospital for around $400k, next homes were only a 25 minute drive from here back then (2003) to Corona, (well at least that's what the realtors and builders were preaching), a nice size home in the hills of Corona. The type of neighborhood that has the owner's name on the property. Those were around $400-$500k. Or we buy a new home in a closer part of Corona around $200k brand new.

The last house was a great house that was not even in the MLS yet. At the top of the market back then, we over paid by several thousand to keep it off the market. We thought there would have been a bidding war for it if we let it go on the market. It was $315,000, not far away and not too much.

Today things have advanced for the better but prices seem to have the illusion of going down but not noticeable enough, the average person can see it on Zillow as it is happening. Not to mention that we have so much to do in handling life itself and everything that happens around us that is out of our control. I can say if prices do come down, be ready. I tried to wait for prices & interest rates to come down and we ended up paying $140,000 more. That's my story.