Despite the recent talk of weakening markets, many hot real estate markets around the country remain strong. Across the country, sales of homes have only decreased by 2.1% for the first quarter of 2006. While some formerly hot metro areas, such as those in California and Florida have cooled, other areas remain quite hot, such as Phoenix.

It would be nice to pick and choose when you will buy and sell your home according to the market. You would want to buy when it is cool and sell when it is hot. But that isn't the way life works for many of us. We find ourselves moving for new jobs, selling for financial reasons and buying for more space.

When the time is right for your family to purchase a new home, you should go ahead. If you make wise choices and purchase well within your financial ability, you won't have much to worry about.

There are a few ways to find good deals in a hot market. Start by finding a good Realtor. Your Realtor will help you find the homes that fit your criteria. Often, a Realtor can notify you as soon as a home is put on the market, even before it goes on the MLS. The selection of a good Realtor will make your purchase an easier transaction.

Make sure that you are ready to purchase a home on a minute's notice. Many times, you have to be ready to make an offer as soon as you view the home. Be financially ready by having a pre-approval for a mortgage from your lender. Be emotionally ready by knowing exactly what you require in a home. It will happen fast, so don't let yourself double-guess yourself too much.

While buying a home in a hot market can be a whirlwind, it can be one of those hurry up and wait situations. You have to be patient. Don't just jump on the first house you se. Remember that your requirements are more important than a few more weeks of searching.

Stay in contact with your Realtor. Make sure that the Realtor understands exactly what you are looking for. If you haven't heard anything in a week, call him or her. By keeping in contact, you are proving that you are a serious buyer. When new listings come up, you may be the first person on the Realtor's mind.

The best way to find a good deal is to be right there when they come up. When a good deal hits the market, it goes fast. You have to be ready to jump, while cautious about not jumping to fast. It is sort of like juggling. You want to be ready for the next ball, without forgetting to hold on the current ball.

Hot markets are easily survived by wise homebuyers. The key is to take your time to make smart decisions. If you are prepared in what you are looking for, you will be able to make a sound quick decision. If you stay within your purchase power, you won't have too much to worry about as the market cools. You can't always time your buying and selling with the market, but you can find ways to work within the market.

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!