The days of summer are flying by. The number of homes for sale are continuing to drop. Ben Bernanke keeps befuddling the market and interest rates continue to march higher. Welcome to the dog days of summer. Boy how refreshing it would be to just lay by the pool, sip a daiquiri and relax.

Now, let’s get back to reality. You didn’t buy that $250,000 home with the pool a few months back, and now you’ll pay dearly for it. According to Core Logic, based on the increased interest rates and appreciation this year, you’ve gone from qualifying for a $250,000 home, to only qualifying for a $225,000 home. Now you’re stuck buying a smaller home (or one without a swimming pool). Darn!

But wait, it’s only going to get worse. As interest rates and housing prices continue their upward march, your dream home is just going to get smaller and smaller. Forget about the swimming pool, forget about the big closets, and throw those visions of fancy appliances and smart home technology out the window, as they could soon be gone too.

What if you qualified for a $500,000 home? Now you qualify for $50,000 less. Do you know what you can get for $50,000? In some markets, for $50,000, you could buy an investment property, rent it out and make at least $500 a month. “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.” Hindsight is always 20-20.

Wait! It’s not too late! It doesn’t take a scientist to recognize that buying today can save you big time. If you qualify, you can still get that swimming pool, the big closets, even fancy appliances and smart home technology. Buy now while housing affordability is still ideal.

“Hmmm… That swimming pool and a daiquiri still look pretty good!”