Thinking of selling? Here's how the latest version of the tax credit affects you.

June is typically the highest volume month for closings in our market. In a "normal" year we would recommend putting your home on the market by March 1st. This date ensures your home gets plenty of exposure to all of the buyers that begin to come out of the woodwork in the late winter and early spring.

However, we have the latest version of the home buyer tax credit in place. This version of the tax credit applies to both first-time home buyers and buyers who sell one home to buy another. The trick is the tax credit can only be claimed by buyers who have an accepted offer by April 30th and close by June 30th.

As we saw in the month of November, the tax credit deadline can have a huge impact on the market. Dane County home and condo sales more than doubled last month - due in large part to first-time home buyers rushing in to beat the previous tax credit deadline of November 30th.

It's impossible to predict the future. But it's very possible all of the recent housing stimulus efforts will end up stealing buyer demand from the future - when interest rates are higher and there are no more stimulus programs in place.

So, if you need to sell, and if you have not already listed your home, we strongly suggest you consider listing during the month of January. And while you're at it make sure your home is aggressively marketed and competitively priced. We don't have a crystal ball, but we do know tax credit deadlines have a tremendous impact on the market. The next four months offer a window of opportunity for buyers and sellers alike.

Have a good Sunday,

Dan Miller, Realtor, Certified Distressed Property Expert, Keller Williams Realty and DaneCountyMarket.com