[SPRINGFIELD, Ill.] - With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, is it a good time to be thinking about buying or selling a home? Yes! The winter housing market in Illinois can bring out some of the most motivated buyers and sellers.

“If you’re looking to buy a home or have been thinking about putting your house on the market, this winter might be the perfect time to make the move,” says Linda Nelson, GRI, GREEN, e-PRO, SRS, president of the Capital Area Association of REALTORS. “People who shop for a home during the winter months tend to be more serious buyers and today’s affordable home prices, record-low mortgage rates and the expanded homebuyer tax credit make the timing even better.”

People shopping for a home in the winter are very often moving out of necessity and are more likely to “buy now.” They may be employees who are relocating because of a job transfer and are under house-hunting time constraints. They may also be buyers who want to take advantage of the deductible tax benefits.

The expansion of the popular federal homebuyer tax credit is expected to drive even more buyers into the winter market as they try to find a home before the credit’s April 30, 2010 deadline. First-time buyers can qualify for up to an $8,000 tax credit and long-time homeowners may qualify for a $6,500 tax credit if they buy a replacement home before the deadline. Learn more about the homebuyer tax credit at www.YourIllinoisHome.com/taxcredit.htm .

For sellers, listing during the holiday season also has its benefits. With many people juggling holiday commitments, there is a smaller inventory of available homes and less competition in the market. You’ll beat the rush of sellers who decide to wait until the spring to put their homes on the market. Coupled with more motivated and qualified buyers who may have more time away from work to look, each showing during the winter season becomes more valuable.

Listing your home around the holidays also allows you to showcase your home as one that is warm and inviting. Buyers can imagine what their own holiday celebrations might be like in the home. Sellers should be careful, however, not to go overboard with seasonal decorations. Keep decorations at a minimum and make sure they are tasteful and neutral so that they accent the home’s features but don’t distract potential buyers.

“It’s a great time to think about adding buying and selling a home to your holiday wish list. A REALTOR can help buyers navigate the home-buying process and help sellers make sure their home is priced to sell in this important seasonal market,” says Nelson.

For tips and other resources about buying and selling a home, contact your REALTOR or visit www.YourIllinoisHome.com, a consumer site developed by the Illinois Association of REALTORS, or visit www.seehouses.com.

The Capital Area Association of REALTORS® is the Voice for Real Estate in the Capital Area representing more than 800 members involved in all aspects of the real estate industry.

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