The Masters turn to InvestingAnswers.com as they tackle a question that many traders have been pondering -- is now the time to buy into real estate related stocks?

If you believe we have finally hit bottom in the U.S. Housing market, some plays to consider are the the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (NYSE:ITB) or the S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSE:XHB), which mostly focuses on homebuilders, but also adds a few home furnishing and home improvement retailers into the mix. 

Forget the housing/building stocks, go with the ETFs.

If you are sleeping on buying a 2nd home, rental or your first home -- do it now.  Rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage leaped to an average 4.39% for the week ending Nov. 18, its highest rate since early August, up from 4.17% last week, according to Freddie Mac's (OTC:FMCC) survey of conforming mortgage rates.

The mortgage averaged 4.83% a year ago and just for fun, Freddie shares are now trading at 34 cents.

Sign of the times fellow Masters, even with the average 30 year fixed loan at 4.5% applications to refinance home loans fell 3.1%, the first drop in six weeks.

Go figure, FANNIE MAE (Public, OTC:FNMA)  trading today at 30 cents and FREDDIE MAC (Public, OTC:FMCC) at a whopping 33 cents, go America!!

Hope many of you took advantage of 30 year rates at the record low of 4.71% last week, as of today its back up to 4.81% according to Feddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) and that's if you can qualify. 
Mortgage rates are starting to slide toward 5% in a hurry and we may have seen a bottom in 30 year fixed rates.

How about them apples?  Denise Tejada bought a house last month at the age of 20, thanks in large part to a loan guaranteed by the Federal Housing Authority.  She scored a $183K FHA loan and is now in her very own house, too bad she can't buy a six-pack to celebrate, only one more year.

Which one is more advantageous for investors? Buying Foreclosed or Short Sale properties? Try Pre-Foreclosure and Bank Owned Properties, the less risk the better.

Commercial real estate values in the U.S. have dropped 27% in the year through June and rents for offices, shops and warehouse space may continue to drop through 2010 as the recession saps jobs and consumer spending. Via Bloomberg.com an analysis and discussion with the Senior Analyst of BMO Capital Markets. He talks about the fundamentals that deteriorate throughout the commercial real estate sector and the rise of vacancies and the fall of rent.

One drag on recovery in Southern California is illustrated by three new office buildings near the LA-Ontario International Airport. One is 60% leased. The other two sit empty.
Much has changed. "New construction is now literally stopped," said Katherine Aguilar Perez, executive director of the Urban Land Institute's office in Los Angeles. The industry has shed jobs as new building starts have plummeted.

If you have been thinking about refinancing or getting your first mortgage now would be the time to do it.  If you wait a few months or even a few weeks, you might be looking at mortgage rates in excess of 6%.  These would basically make it pointless to even go through the refinance
process at all  Bottom line -- get your refinance on if you haven't already.

Two new recent REIT IPOs launched in June. Government Properties Income Trust (NYSE:GOV) began trading earlier this month. The company priced 10 mm shares at $20.00 per share. The company is a subsidiary of HRPT Properties Trust, an office REIT based in Massachusetts. HRPT owns 49.9% of GOV.