One thing that the real estate market proves is that nothing stays the same. Bullet-proof areas like Los Angeles and New York are coming out of virtually decade-long real estate depressions and experiencing long-awaited resurgences.

Parts of the United States are booming - which means that other areas could be losing population. As companies relocate to the Sunbelt, they are taking the brains and the brawn with them. But many companies and their workers are returning to once-depressed northeastern metropolitan areas and revitalizing neighborhoods with re-growth and renovation. Why? They can get good buys.

So what comes up may come down and what is down may come up. That's real estate.

That means your area may be in a seller's market or a buyer's market. No matter what the market conditions were when you bought your house, they are no longer the same. Real estate values are too mercurial - they change seasonally, annually and at the whim of the market.

The conditions that make a good market can change literally overnight. All it takes is the entrance of a major employer or a little word of mouth and buyers looking for a bargain and seeing others take a chance, and before you know it, a neighborhood has turned around. Homes that sat unsold are selling for high prices. Young people are moving in, making improvements, and making the area cool to live in.

Watch what is happening in your neighborhood. Are you seeing new families move in? Are homes selling quickly? Do you see lots of people going in and out of homes that are for sale? Are you seeing improvements being made? Are the homes changing for the better? If so, you have a good chance of selling your home.

No matter what kind of market you are in, even a depressed market, there will be a buyer for your home. It is just a matter of price. And if you are in a depressed market, the more you can do to make your home attractive, the better chance you have to sell it. The one advantage to a depressed market is that sooner or later, it may invite reinvestment. Prices will come down to the point that people can afford the homes and they begin to buy. When they buy, they take pride and care for the home. When the homes show more care, they become more desirable and prices begin to go up.

It never helps your own cause or that of the marketplace to let your home fall into disrepair. Your best move in any market is to keep your home in the best condition possible. And you could just single-handedly turn your street around and make it more desirable for residents as well as buyers.

Your REALTORŪ will help you understand what to expect in your market. The comparable market analysis will show you how quickly homes are selling and for how much. Then you can get an idea of what selling your home in the current market will be like.