If your goal is to find a place to live, don't worry about timing.

In cheaper markets interest rates probably won't matter as much as the local economy. These are places where new supply matches new demand, and you just have steady appreciation.

In Boston, all of these zip codes are far from downtown. They are former mill towns that are having a resurgence in price because they're so affordable.

Things have also been slowing down a little in Boston.

I've given up trying to guess where interest rates will go.

It's so hard to time the real estate market. You should see all the spreadsheets.

Zip codes in vacation areas seem to be doing well. It follows the anecdotal evidence I've heard about vacation home buying.

These economies are doing well and weathered the recession well. And in Miami and L.A. the housing booms happened later than other parts of the country.

The risk is much less in a city like Des Moines. You're much more likely to sell a house at a higher price than what you paid.

The zips that did the best were right in the city or in the outlying areas. People are being pushed into the inner city or out toward the suburbs.