As people sit on the sidelines and wait for the U.S economy to settle down and get on track; many people are taking advantage of a down market. Stocks are down and most people understand it is a golden opportunity to do what every stock investor knows "Buy low, sell high." Although the timing for the U.S. Economic collapse is hurting many Americans whom were marginally surviving pay check to paycheck, many other sectors of the population are tightening up and trying to make smarter investments.

The numbers on foreclosure properties across the nation are high and the number of Buyers for these foreclosures seems to be on the rise. There are still people that need to purchase homes and regardless of the timing and or economy, will be forced to make a move in the coming months amidst our financial crisis. First-time home buyers are coming out and seeing the low priced foreclosures and great financing opportunities. Interest rates are still considerably low and the opportunties to make a good long term investment Real Estate investment is becoming more appealing.

The American Dream of homeownership is alive and kicking the doors of banks to lend money. People are becoming more educated on what is expected from a borrower to qualify for a home. The days "Give us your pulse, we will give you a loan" are gone and will probably not return within the forseeable future. Borrowers understand they need to save money for a down payment and are willing to do so when home prices are seemingly more affordable.

Can I still purchase a home in this market?
The short answer is "Yes," if you are willing to put forth the time and effort it requires to get educated and hire professionals to help assist you achieve your goals. Over the coming weeks we will be taking a closer look at the important factors are to determine whether or not you can qualify for a loan. We will have an in-depth look at factors that can make or break the dream of homeownership. Below is a list of factors we will be discussing in detail, use these factors as a guide to help you get on the path to homeownership.

Basic Factors In Loan Qualification:
1) Credit
2) Employment
3) Income
4) Down Payment
5) Assets

America has spoken and a new leader has been chosen to lead the U.S out of the depression like state of affairs currently underway. The past year has brought about serious questions about what our elected leaders in Washington will do to help correct the situation. The Wall Street crash had brought the economy onto the political battlefield and America was very concerned with the future of our economy.

As the election has come to an end, it seems many reports were touching on the fact a proposed 90 day moratorium on foreclosures could be on the horizon for the United States. A moratorium on foreclosures could allow the U.S economy to take a step back and re-strategize which direction to take. Real Estate has been a major engine for the U.S Economy and we need to figure out how to get that engine back up and running.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks rallied Monday afternoon, with the Dow rallying 976 points during the session, as investors bet that the worst of the credit crisis is over, following a series of global initiatives announced over the last few days.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) ended 936 points higher, after having risen as much as 976 points during the session. The advance was the largest ever during a session on a point basis. The point gain was equal to 11.1%, the best one-day percentage gain since Sept. 1932 and the fifth-best ever.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) index added 104 points, its best one-day point gain ever, equal to 11.6%.That was also the best percentage gain since Sept. 1932 and the fourth-best overall.

The Nasdaq composite (COMP) added almost 195 points, the 10th best day on a point basis. The gain of 11.8% was its second-best ever, after a gain of 14.2% on Jan. 3, 2001, right near the end of the tech bubble.

Stocks were buoyant Monday as investors welcomed a global effort to unfreeze the credit market and get money flowing through the system again. Although stocks reacted positively, credit markets barely budged.

"We had some good news this morning from the Fed and the other central banks, but we were also oversold on an historic level and due for a big bounce," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Monday's rally increased market value by $1.2 trillion, the largest single-day paper value gain ever according to an advance in the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000, the broadest measure of the stock market. That cut in half the $2.4 trillion in market value the Wilshire lost in the recent 8-session bloodletting.

Last week was the Dow's worst ever, ending a stunning eight-session selloff that seared 2,400 points off the blue-chip indicator. That represented a 22% decline in the Dow, something not seen since at least the '30s.

What has changed over the past week that investors all of the sudden believe in the $700 Billion Bailout and the effect it will have on our market? News of Global collaboration in the economic markets gave Wall Street a reason to believe in the "Free Falling" market. Record low's and now a record high have been dominating global media over the last few weeks.

Whether or not credit markets will start opening up to borrowers without impeccable credit records, remains to be seen. Banks have been the hardest hit and the backlash of the credit crunch may last longer than anticipated. Although there has been tough news about the credit markets, opportunities have opened up in the wake of the foreclosure crunch. Even in tough economic times, savvy investors will find a way to make money.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Markets tanked Thursday - with the Dow falling nearly 700 points during the session - as panicked investors dumped stocks across the board.

Bank lending remained tight as nervous institutions continued to hoard cash. Treasury prices fell, raising their corresponding yields. The dollar gained versus the euro and the yen. Oil, gas and gold prices fell.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 679 points, or 7.3%, closing at its lowest point since May 21, 2003. It was the Dow's third biggest one-day point-loss ever.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) index lost 7.6% and closed at its lowest point since April 28, 2003. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) lost 5.5% and closed at its lowest point since June 30, 2003.

A key measure of investor fear hit an all-time high: The CBOE Volatility (VIX) index, or the VIX, hit nearly 64.

Over the last seven sessions, the Dow has lost 2,271 points, or 20.1%. Since hitting an all-time high of 14,164.53 one year ago today, the Dow has lost 39.4%.

"We are in a free fall right now and fundamentals have been thrown out the window," said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors.

Stocks have tumbled despite a series of efforts on the part of the government to unfreeze the credit markets and get money flowing through the system again.

On Thursday, the Treasury said it was looking to buy stakes in some banks as part of the $700 billion bank bailout law enacted last week. The main focus of the bailout remains buying bad assets from banks.

The dust has not yet settled on the U.S. Economic front. Although the market should be celebrating the government approved bailout, analysts are acting like we are not out of the woods yet.

For most people whom have been through an economic cycle, whether good or bad, they grasp the concept that it is indeed a cycle. Wall Street was in a similar panic just a few years ago when the "Dot.Com" bubble burst and self made "Idea Millionaires" (Idea Millionaires being those whom came up with an idea for an internet business and raised capital) crashed. Many predicted recession and inflation and any other negative word that ended in "ion" and contained a negative connotation about the market. We did fall into a downward cycle that eventually turned around and stabalized as time passed.

Fast Forward to 2007 when the Dow Jones reached a record high and people on Wall Street couldnt be happier as they control the keys to U.S finance. Lets face it, when the chips are down, Wall Street does not do well in limbo. Wall Street needs to know exactly what to expect and any shutter to the contrary creates a selling frenzy of pandemic proportion. If a company does not meet or exceed quarterly earnings, it gets burned at the stake practically. There is no reward for coming in close to earnings projections, only severe backlash.

Whether the market is up or down, trading will continue and people will still continue to make money. The market is down and anyone can tell you the key to making money on Wall Street is "Buy low, sell high." Timing the bottom of the market is always a tricky task and will require to seek expert advice from qualified professionals.

Most of America probably prefers to shop when items are on sale, so I leave with this final thought: "America, Wall Street is on sale, what are you buying?"

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks plunged Monday, with the Dow down as much as 800 points during the session, as the $700 billion bank bailout plan and European government attempts to prop up faltering banks failed to comfort panicky investors.

But the Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) and other major indexes cut losses in the final hour. The Dow ended down just short of 370 points.

The index fell to 9,525.32, the index hit its lowest level during a session since Oct. 24, 2003, when it touched 9,497.72.

Other indexes also cut losses in the final hour.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) index, after falling to its lowest point since Sept. 12, 2003, ended with a loss of 3.6%. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) ended down 4% after falling to its lowest point since Aug. 28, 2003 during the session.

Credit markets remained tight, with two key measures of bank jitters hitting all-time highs. Treasurys rallied, lowering the corresponding yields as investors sought safety in government debt. Gold rallied for the same reason. Oil dipped. The dollar jumped versus the euro and fell against the yen.

Investors across the board are realizing that the $700 billion U.S. bank bailout was not a cure-all, said Dan Genter, president and CEO at RNC Genter Capital Management. The package involves the Treasury buying bad debt directly from banks in order to get them to start lending to each other again

"Everybody thought that the bailout was a panacea. But it's not, it's a tourniquet that stops the bleeding so the patient doesn't die right away," Genter said.

At first glance, it seemed we had averted the continuation of America's most devasting financial crisis since the "Great Depression." We got in trouble, we panicked, we got the bailout, we panicked again and stocks plummetted amid the feeling the bailout may not be the answer we anticipated. What were we anticipating? What was Wall Street anticipating? Apparently $700 Billion is not enough to keep Wall Street calm and the thought "It's going to get worse before it gets better" did not fare well at all.

The U.S government reacted swiftly to the mounting pressure being placed on our economy. The "Rescue Bill" being enacted into law is merely the end of the begining of a greuling process to bring our financial market to any semblance of normalcy.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After two weeks of contentious and often emotional debate, the federal government's far-reaching and historic plan to bail out the nation's financial system was on the verge of enactment Friday.

President Bush, speaking less than an hour after the House voted 263 to 171 to pass the bill, is expected to sign it later Friday.

"By coming together on this legislation, we have acted boldly to prevent the crisis on Wall Street from becoming a crisis in communities across our country," said Bush.

The House vote followed a strong lobbying push by the White House and other supporters of the bill. The House rejected a similar measure on Monday - a defeat that shocked the markets and congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle.

The legislation, which would allow the Treasury Secretary to purchase as much as $700 billion in troubled assets in a bid to kick-start lending, would usher in one of the most far-reaching interventions in the economy since the Great Depression.

Finally,the news Wall Street and America has been waiting for; Senate passes Historic $700 Billion Bailout Bill. Get the champagne as this news is cause for celebration.

U.S. Financial markets have been riding a roller-coaster the last two weeks with the congressional dead-lock over the $700 Billion Bailout. The uncertainty of our economy had many Americans concerned about their financial future.

Where will the $700 Billion Bailout lead us from here? Hopfully the plan will stave off additional Banks from collapsing.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks rallied Tuesday afternoon as investors scooped up shares battered in the bloodletting that followed Congress' failure to pass a $700 billion bank rescue plan.

But credit markets remained frozen. Several closely-watched measures of bank lending fear hit all-time highs, as firms continued to hoard funds.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 400 points before scaling back a bit, with 90 minutes left in the session, recovering some of the record 777 points lost the day before.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) index rose 4.6% and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) gained about 4.3%.

The advance was largely in response to the previous session's selloff, in particular the swell of sell orders that poured in near the close of the session, said Alan Lancz, director of Lancz Global.

"There was panic selling yesterday, so today you're seeing a reflex rally or a dead cat bounce," Lancz said.

He said the stock advance could also imply investors expect that some form of the government plan will pass, perhaps by the end of the week.

September 29, 2008 was a hasty day on Wall Street and across the world as news of the US Bailout failure shocked the markets. Once the dust settled and Investors realized that more than just cockroaches survived the "nuclear" meltdown happening to U.S. Banks; stocks rallied and made up much needed ground on September 30, 2008.

We are far past the "blame game" and solely focused on how a Government Bailout will bring stability to our ailing Financial Sector. Confidence in the U.S. Economy is paramount to bringing about a strong finish to an otherwise dismal year for the U.S.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The fate of the government's $700 billion financial bailout plan was thrown into doubt Monday as the House rejected the controversial measure.

The next steps were unclear. The abrupt defeat left the Bush administration and congressional leaders scrambling to figure out whether to renegotiate the bill and introduce it again as soon as Thursday or to try other options.

Stock markets reacted violently. Investors who had been counting on the rescue plan's passage sent the Dow Jones industrial average down well over 700 points. The stock gauge closed 778 points lower - nearly 7%.

Washington delivered another blow to the U.S. Economy as the financial state of affairs rests in the hands of our elected officials. Another stalemate has claimed a much needed cash infusion to the financial sector. Banks are dropping like flys and Wall Street was on pins and needles waiting for good news of the proposed $700 Billion Bailout. In lieu of the Bailout rejection in Washington, Wall Street decided to create a bailout of it's own; caveat being Wall Streets bailout created a market plunge and not the much anticipated needed rescue.

Las Vegans also await news of the Bailout in hopes one of the hardest hit foreclosure markets can keep more homeowners in their delinquent mortgages.

Unless you have been under a rock the last few months, you’re probably wondering the answers to two important questions that will shape the future of our U.S. Economy. 1) Who will call 1600 Pennsylvania Ave home, McCain or Obama? 2) What will become of the FHA Down Payment Assistance program? In reference to the impending election, we will let the voters decide who is best fit for the job. FHA Down Payment Assistance (DPA) remains on life support with the proverbial “plug pulling” ceremony taking place October 1, 2008.

The last few years have seen some robust activity in our economy and it is no secret that the Real Estate and Finance sectors have had an enormous impact on our economy’s growth. We rode a tidal wave of easy financing and massive appreciation. Banks and consumers alike hedged their bets and in the end when the “Arms” (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) came calling, the house of Real Estate cards came tumbling down.

In an attempt to correct the housing dilemma, Congress passed H.R. 3221 which brought about the removal of Down Payment Assistance for FHA loans. H.R. 3221 was introduced by our government with good intentions, however, unfortunately it is beginning to bring about dire consequences for the housing markets and low-income American families. According to DPAGroundswell.com “Nearly 40% of all FHA loans are originated with DPA. These Federal Housing Administration loans are not sub-prime. Without DPA programs, an estimated 50,000 families per month will be locked out of homeownership.” Chances are if 600,000+ families will be revoked the opportunity to purchase a home, it could be you or someone you know.

FHA Down Payment Assistance provides an opportunity for people from all walks of life to realize the dream of homeownership. The FHA financing program is not solely credit based; therefore people with less than perfect credit can obtain financing that is as competitive, if not better than conventional financing. Imagine being able to purchase a home and your down payment is only 3% of the purchase price. As it stands, the FHA program currently allows buyers to purchase a home by obtaining a loan for 97% of the purchase price. FHA Down Payment Assistance allows the Seller to “gift” the 3% down payment through a non-profit organization and the Buyer would in essence be able to purchase a home with 100% financing. Along with the removal of Down Payment Assistance, FHA will aise the 3% down payment requirement to 3.5%, thus placing more pressure on Average American families to carry the burden of America’s housing problems. Losing the Down Payment Assistance program would open the door to more costly financing for the average home buyer, such as 5%-20% down payment programs which will be credit driven and perhaps more importantly, credit prohibitive for many borrowers.

There is still time to make a difference, be sure to visit www.DPAGroundswell.com and send in your electronic support for Down Payment Assistance. As the mortgage guidelines begin to tighten, it is important to preserve programs designed to help Americans realize the Dream of Homeownership.

On July 30, 2008, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 was passed, which includes a new, temporary tax credit as an incentive for first-time homebuyers. With this bill, first-time home buyers may qualify for up to $7500 for the purchase of a principal residence. For more information on this good news, your CENTURY 21 team has compiled the following information:

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Summary Presentation
The National Association of Realtors® First-Time Homebuyer Quick Reference Chart
The National Association of Realtors® Frequently Asked Questions