Buying Real Estate Still Good Investment

Despite current economic challenges, 83 percent of Americans still believe buying a home is a good financial decision, according to NAR's 2009 National Housing Pulse Survey.

The survey also found that one-third of renters are thinking more about buying a home than they were a year ago. Many of them still need to save toward that goal - 82 percent of potential homeowners consider down payments and closing costs to be the greatest challenges to homeownership.