The Georgia Association of Realtors has a message for prospective homebuyers in Jones County, and, unlike the news on the national economy, it is good news.

Dale Washburn, a member of the Speakers Bureau of the association of realtors, is on a mission to spread the word that this is an excellent time to buy a home. During a Friday interview, Washburn said he is seeking opportunities to speak to groups about the real estate market.

Interested parties may reach him by calling 477-2324, or by email, dale@dalewashburn.com.

In addition to his position with the bureau, he is the principal broker for Washburn and Associates and teaches real estate classes at Macon State College. He was Middle Georgia Realtor of the Year in 1992 and was named Georgia Realtor of the Year in 2004.

Washburn now lives in Macon but was born in Jones County. He graduated from Jones County schools in 1968 and served on the Board of Commissioners from 1985-88.

“With all the bad economic news we have heard in the last few months, the public needs to know money is available for the purchase of a home,” he said.

He explained that Congress passed and President George Bush recently signed HR 3221, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which gives first-time homebuyers a 10 percent tax credit up to $7,500 on their federal income tax.

The home must be a principal residence to be eligible and the tax credit has an income restriction of $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a married couple.

“If either spouse has not owned a home in three years, they would qualify under the program,” Washburn said. “It’s a good program to help offset other costs of buying a home.”

The realtor said an oversupply of housing has created a buyers’ market because sellers are motivated.

“Mortgage money is available for anyone with a good credit score. It doesn’t have to be the best,” he added.

Washburn said creditors are looking for people with sufficient income.

“I don’t expect this situation to change despite what’s happening on Wall Street. If you are interested in buying a home, it’s a good time to look for one,” he said.

He said mortgage rates are low, and with an FHA loan, the down payment could be as low as 3 percent.

Washburn said the mortgage market got in trouble because of ‘easy money’ and less stringent requirements, which resulted in overdevelopment.

“During the real estate boom, prices were inflated and no one was monitoring development,” he said.

Washburn said he feels Jones County is overbuilt at this time but he emphasized that overall the county’s future is bright.

“We have good schools, low crime, and easy access to anywhere. I think investing in Jones County real estate is a good thing to do,” he added.