Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting.

1. Prices Will Continue to Rise

Core Logic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 7.0% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.7% over the next year.

The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense.

2. Mortgage Interest Rates Are Projected to Increase

Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have hovered around 4%. Most experts predict that rates will rise over the next 12 months. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison, projecting that rates will increase by this time next year. An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. A year from now, your housing expense will increase if a mortgage is necessary to buy your next home.

3. Either Way, you are Paying a Mortgage

There are some renters who have not yet purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.

As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to have equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee your landlord is the person with that equity. Are you ready to put your housing cost to work for you?

4. It’s Time to Move on with Your Life

The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise.

But what if they weren’t? Would you wait?

Look at the actual reason you are buying and decide if it is worth waiting. Whether you want to have a great place for your children to grow up, you want your family to be safer, or you just want to have control over renovations, maybe now is the time to buy.

If the right thing for you and your family is to purchase a home this year, buying sooner rather than later could lead to substantial savings.

First impressions are everything – at least when it comes to selling your home. According to the National Association of Realtors, 63 percent of homebuyers will drop by after viewing a home they like online. What will they see? The home's exterior – including the front entry, yard, driveway and sidewalk -- should serve as a snapshot of what's to come when potential buyers enter your home.

1: Curb Appeal Starts Online
Since 88 percent of homebuyers begin the process on the Web, fabulous photos are critical to getting homebuyers to the front door, says Jennifer Ames, a top Chicago real estate agent. Find the best time of day to shoot each room. Take a digital shot and examine it as if you were a buyer, and get rid of extras – bikes on the front porch, platters stacked on top of the fridge – that don't show your home at its best.

2: Act Like a Buyer
Walk around your entire home's exterior with a critical eye and a notepad and pen. Take notes on what looks "off" and needs repairing, replacing or cleaning. Get in your car and drive by slowly from both directions during the day and night. You might see something you've never noticed before, like a Frisbee on the roof or a missing piece of siding.

3: Look Up to the Sky
Most homeowners don't give their roofs a second glance, but the roof is an important curb appeal item that buyers do notice, says Jean Miskimon of the Metal Roofing Alliance. Is yours missing any shingles, or is it dingy and streaked? A good cleaning or, if necessary, a roof replacement will up your home's curb appeal factor tremendously.

4: Shiny, Happy Numbers
If your house numbers aren't easy to see or if they're dirty and dingy, replacing them carries a tremendous impact, Caroline says. Consider the style of your house – traditional, transitional or modern – and create a harmonious or contrasting effect with new house numbers.

5: Get a Second Opinion
Homeowners often get used to certain defects –chipped paint on the front door from the keys banging against it, cobwebs on the porch ceiling, cracked or stained steps – and might need a new set of eyes to help them prioritize what needs to be fixed and cleaned up, says Kelly O'Ryan, office manager for Coldwell Banker in Lexington, Mass. "Know your budget and how much time you can spend, and get an outsider to help you decide what needs work," she says.

6: Under Pressure
Budget-conscious homeowners will love this tip: Pressure-washing the dirty siding and deck, as well as the oil-stained driveway and faded walkways is an extremely cost-efficient way to increase your home's curb appeal. If you don't own a pressure washer, you can rent one from your local home improvement store for the day.

7: Plant Some Color
Except for the dead of winter, some types of annual plants are always in bloom, says Sheri Silver, a landscape designer and owner of Fiori Garden Design. "Spruce up your porch containers, window boxes and front beds with some colorful flowers for instant lift," Sheri advises. Never plant artificial flowers – a few inches of dark mulch will brighten up the beds without screaming "fake."

8: Open Up
Fling open the shutters, curtains and blinds, Paul says. "Homes that are brighter inside sell faster, and open curtains look prettier on the street," he says. Go outside and look at your window treatments from the street, and try to keep a uniform look throughout.

9: Light Up Your Landscape
Give your walkway an edge with solar light fixtures, which are affordable and a cinch to install, says Rick Hoffman, president and COO of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage of San Diego County and Temecula Valley. "Solar lights are inexpensive, and you can place them where they highlight your home's best attributes – landscaping, walking paths and any custom fixtures."

10: Add Some Polish
Paint is only about $25 per gallon, and painting the front door, trim and shutters is a great way to polish the look of your home, Kelly says. Other inexpensive fix-ups: a new mailbox (research your city's regulations to make sure you're up to code first), a new porch light fixture and a cheery new welcome mat.

The temperatures are starting to drop and some people are thinking of Thanksgiving. That’s when veteran homeowners know it’s time to do these six things to their home, if they want to avoid grief or overspending:

1. Buy Appliances
Manufacturers bring out their latest models during the fall, and store owners offer big sales on appliances they want to move out — like last year’s most popular dishwasher. So September, October, and November are great months to buy. But October is right in the middle — when there’s still plenty of selection, and retailers might be more willing to haggle. Refrigerators are the exception because new models don’t come out until spring.

2. Switch the Direction of Ceiling Fans
Most have a switch to allow the ceiling fan blades to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise — one direction pushes air down to create a nice breeze and the other sucks air up, helping to distribute the heat. Think counterclockwise when it’s warm and clockwise when it’s cool.

3. Clean Windows
Daylight is about to dwindle so why not get as much of it as you can? Clean off all the bugs, dust, and grime from your windows while the weather is still warm enough to do so. For streak-free windows, combine ¼-cup of white vinegar with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of eco-friendly dish detergent and 2 cups of water.

If window cleaning isn’t a DIY job at your home, schedule a professional window cleaner (who, unlike most of us, is able to do it even when temperatures plummet) before the end of the month. The closer it gets to the holidays, the busier they get. Bright sunshine on winter’s darkest days makes it totally worthwhile.

4. Schedule a Heating Unit Checkup
To ensure your family will be able to feel their toes all winter, schedule early in the month for your heating unit to be serviced. As temperatures drop, service companies get busier.

Whether you hire your heating company’s technician or a contractor to do it, they’ll clean soot and corrosion from the combustion chamber, replace filters, and check the whole system for leaks, clogs, or damage. Nothing pairs with a pending blizzard better than the assurance that you’ll be weathering the storm with warm air piping through the vents and cocoa in hand.

5. Get a Chimney Sweep to Inspect the Fireplace
It’s time to dust off and sweep the chimney! Best to hire someone who knows wood-burning fireplaces. A professional chimney sweep will ensure your wood-burning fireplace burns more efficiently and will help prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter. So yeah, it’s pretty important.

Tip: If you don’t already have a chimney cap, this is also the time to add one to stop wild outdoor critters from crawling down it — and (yikes!) into your house.

6. Insulate Exposed Pipes

If you’ve ever dealt with a burst pipe, you know it’s a sad, wet disaster worth preventing. To avoid the stressful (not to mention, expensive) ordeal, prep your home’s exposed pipes with foam or heat tape — choosing which one will work best with your climate — to keep those pipes toasty. Remember: The most at-risk pipes are often those in unheated areas such as attics, crawl spaces, and garages, so secure those first.

Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today, instead of waiting.

1. Prices Will Continue to Rise

CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 6.7% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 5.0% over the next year.

The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense.

2. Mortgage Interest Rates Are Projected to Increase

Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have hovered around 4%. Most experts predict that rates will rise over the next 12 months. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison, projecting that rates will increase by this time next year.

An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. A year from now, your housing expense will increase if a mortgage is necessary to buy your next home.

3. Either Way, You Are Paying a Mortgage 

There are some renters who have not yet purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.

As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to have equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee your landlord is the person with that equity.

Are you ready to put your housing cost to work for you?

4. It’s Time to Move on With Your Life

The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise.

When you have little equity in your home, or owe as much or more on your mortgage than your home is worth, it can be difficult to find a lender willing to help you refinance. But for borrowers who have remained current on their mortgages, and have loans owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, there is hope. It’s called HARP. 

Introduced in March 2009, HARP enables borrowers with little or no equity to refinance into more affordable mortgages without new or additional mortgage insurance. HARP targets borrowers with loan-to-value (LTV) ratios equal to or greater than 80 percent and who have limited delinquencies over the 12 months prior to refinancing. 

Significant changes have been made to HARP since the program was first introduced. For example, in 2011 the LTV ceiling was removed, property appraisal requirements were waived in certain circumstances, certain risk fees for borrowers selecting shorter amortization terms were eliminated, and certain representations and warranties were waived. In 2013, the eligibility date was changed from the date the loan was acquired by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac to the date on the note, increasing the pool of eligible borrowers. 

Through HARP, you can get a lower interest rate (which means less out-of-pocket costs each month), get a shorter loan term, or change from an adjustable to fixed-rate mortgage. There’s no minimum credit score needed, either. 

And now that HARP guidelines are simpler, even people who were formerly turned down may now be eligible for HARP refinancing.  See if you are eligible for HARP by clicking here.