Unless you have no access to radio, TV, newspapers or the internet, you are aware of the difficulties the housing market is experiencing. Evictions, foreclosures, and people just driving away in the middle of the night are stories you hear every day. In this bleak time, though, there is also opportunity.

Many people have been planning and dreaming for years to own a second home. A growing number of baby boomers are retiring, and that means more people entering the "snow bird" category - living in the Northeast or Midwest during the warm weather, then becoming a snow bird in the winter when they head to Florida or Arizona. Some seek solitude in a weekend get-away home. Still others are looking for a place to vacation, then rent the house for income the other months of the year - with the intent to someday retire there. Do you fall into one of these categories?

Now is the perfect buyer's market. Many locations are experiencing more than a 30% decrease in home values.

Purchasing a second home can be a great investment, but it's more difficult than a first-home purchase. It's best to have your first home paid off, or very close to being so. It is not uncommon to pay higher interest rates or to be required to make a larger down payment with a second home mortgage. All of these issues make it extremely important to work with a professional mortgage broker.

Pursue your dream.