Hey, Millennials. Come on into the real estate market! We really need you to buy some homes so we can keep chugging along. Oh, wait. Prices are rising and so are interest rates, plus inventory is scary low. Hmmm. Well, come on in anyway, wontcha? It's not easy to buy a home in a hot market where inventory remains at historic lows - and that covers a lot of areas across the country at a wide range of different price points. But it's especially hard right now for Millennials, who aren't exactly getting a warm welcome from the market that has been begging them to participate.

"I think it's fair to say this is the most competitive housing market we've seen in recorded history," Danielle Hale, chief economist for Realtor.com, told Curbed. "There's record low inventory and strong interest from buyers in getting into the housing market. Millennials are reaching prime homebuying age - in 2020, the greatest proportion of that generation will be turning 30 - just as baby boomers are looking to downsize. This has created especially fierce competition for smaller homes, the type of starter homes that most first-time buyers desire. This dynamic can be especially frustrating for young adults because they may be bidding for the same smaller home as someone from an older generation who can lean on the accumulated wealth of decades of homeownership."

But that doesn't make buying impossible - just a bit more challenging. Get a leg up by following a few smart strategies.

Work with the right REALTOR®

Come check out my latest listing in the Marina District, Downtown San Diego. This spacious 2 Bed/2 Bath Patio-style condo in the prestigious Horizons Building features vaulted ceilings, open floor plan, gas fire place, large master suite with walk in closet, laundry closet, and an oversized arbored terrace. - and no upstairs neighbors! Enjoy resort style pool, gym, game room and 24 hour security - just steps away from Petco Park, Gaslamp & the Waterfront. The best that downtown has to offer!

Contact Me For More Information or to Schedule A Showing

Interest rates remain historically low and even though housing prices are increasing in many areas, the market still offers lots of opportunities to become a homeowner. But what's holding many back is saving enough for a downpayment.

Reaching any goal requires dedication to that goal and a mindset that enables you to sacrifice to achieve what you desire. Often that's easier said than done. However, if you analyze your spending and lifestyle habits you can determine where you can conserve to create enough of a reserve to comfortably buy a home without feeling totally deprived.

Here are six tips that can help you put away $50 to hundreds of dollars each month. Start with a fresh sheet of paper or a digital document that you can refer to frequently. Keeping it fresh on your mind will help you achieve your goals.

1. Write down what you owe versus what you earn.

What is a condo?

What is a condo? Short for “condominium,” a condo is a private residence within a larger building or complex. The first condo in the United States was built in Salt Lake City in 1960, according to Matthew Gordon Lasner, author of "High Life: Condo Living in the Suburban Century." Since then, this residence style has truly taken off. Currently, there are approximately 17 million privately owned condominiums in the U.S.

Condos might look like a lot of other types of real estate you may have heard of—like apartments, co-ops, or townhouses—but condos have their own distinct features, rules, pros, and cons. Here's what condos are all about, and how they're different from other structures in which you can live.

How condos work