Stoic philosophers remind us first and foremost that to everything there is a season. “No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” –Epictetus: Discourses Chap. xv.

Contemporaneously, we are in a buyer's market. Home availability is at record levels. No one knows how long this will last. Many speculate the buyer's market will end in the year following the November election.

This season may not last much longer, but sufficient time remains to capitalize on good investments. It would be a wise move for a savvy investor to take advantage of this buyer's market since it is the optimal time to buy property.

When it is a buyer's market, it simply means there are more homes on the market than there are buyers. Remember, the Economics 101 supply-and-demand principle comes into play. Investors adhering to the formula of buying low and selling high do well.

The key is to think long term when investing in real estate, which can double or even triple in value within 10 to 20 years. In retrospect, the recent seller's market bubble bursting is an anomaly.

As an investment, real estate is one of the soundest. Like any investment, though, it is also subject to the economic seasons of feast and famine; right now, home buyers have a feast spread before them.

The value of one’s home is closely bound to these natural economic cycles, fluctuations or seasons. When planning your investment strategies, timing is crucial for the greatest rate of return and liquidity.

The best time to sell is during a seller's market. One does not plant seeds to grow a harvest in winter. The seeds would surely rot. Likewise, your single largest investment – your home – is subject to selling seasons, which would be wise to heed.

When the season is a seller's market, the demand for homes exceeds the inventory on the market and the price goes up. Houses sell quickly. Those selling their home need not wait long for ready, willing and able buyers.

Homeowners receive multiple offers at or above their asking price. Often homeowners in a seller's market need only minimal preparation to put their home on the market. Home buyers that have inspection contingency clauses oftentimes face a flat rejection. Naturally, the best time to sell and get the highest rate of return is during a seller's market.

This buyer's market season, where the number of homes on the market exceeds the buyers is nearing an end. Homeowners wanting to move and sell their homes rather than rent out will need to make a concerted effort to differentiate their home from the plethora of homes in a currently saturated market in order to get an offer from a qualified buyer.

Further, they cannot rely on last year’s prices alone, but must choose their sale price also factoring in the number of bargain foreclosures on the market. To sell a home in a buyer's market, homeowners must reduce their asking price to what the economy is today, not last year. The single most-critical factor in selling a home in good time is pricing it for the current season (market conditions).

To reiterate, the economy, like the seasons, is constantly changing and subject to minor fluctuations. In turn, so is the real estate market. Real estate tends to be more stable over time. It will not remain a buyer's market for much longer.

Like the seasons, whatever the conditions at present, you will find there are always those who choose to focus on the negative aspects of each season or condition. A wise investor would choose to find the benefits of each season, focus on the positive aspects, then plan and act accordingly.

Now is probably the best time to buy. A buyer can find quite a few good deals. There are a record number of foreclosures on the market now, further driving down the price of resale homes.

A buyer must act quickly to snatch up those foreclosure homes that sell below market value (sometimes as much as a third of the true value). Of course, one of the drawbacks to purchasing foreclosure homes is the risk. These homes sold “as is” and can have issues such as missing appliances and fixtures.

Therefore, there can be hidden costs and hidden problems to those purchases. Home inspectors during a buyer’s market are in short supply as well, since they are busier than during a seller’s market. New homes are less likely to be built.

What does this season’s buyer’s market mean for homeowners and home buyers? Buyers wanting a bargain home must remember those short sales and bank-owned homes may be sold with no warranty.

Even so, homes not in distress must lower their asking price to sell, simply because of the large number of homes on the market. Homeowners may want to purchase a second home for rental income or simply as a vacation home.

Of course, a homeowner pressed to sell their home for one reason or another will need to take an active role in marketing their property to make it sell. Key factors in selling a home during a buyer’s market are price, location and condition. A house needs a price a little below competition and needs to be immaculate with neutral decor.

Homeowners need to arrive at a competitive price in order to sell. Then, the property must be staged to appeal to the most home buyers, keeping the home clean inside and out, with attractive landscaping. During a buyer’s market, selling a home can happen if it is priced right and well kept.

With every season, there is a time. Take advantage of the season. Today it is a buyer’s market and before too long it will become a seller’s market again. Keep in mind these basic truths and act accordingly. “Practise yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things; and thence proceed to greater.” –Epictetus: Discourses Chap xviii.

Bonnie Bridgette Vallance is a Realtor with MLSNow Realty in Herndon. She can be reached at 703-481-9896.