When I say that the economy was picking up right before GHW Bush reelection bid, I mean that my business(the homebuilding market) was picking up. The homebuilding market has always been a leading indicator and precurser to the general economy picking up. It was back then and it is RIGHT NOW. Right now is the time to buy a house if you can.
After four plus years of doing nothing, building is picking up. Available new homes are at the lowest volume and the most affordable they have ever been. No matter what you hear from all the naysayers on this site who let politics cloud their judgement, the economy is getting better. This does not mean that Phoenix, Detroit and CA real estate are going to the moon. However, I can tell you from personal experience that a lot of markets are much better(TX, ND, SD MN, NH, MA , GA , WA ,IA, AL, CT, KY, NC, VA ,MD , LA , OR ,IN)
We sell into all these markets and their business is much better than last year and increasing.
Building might be picking up, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the “housing market”; I believe a growing number of people who don’t think they can afford children sure as heck aren’t going to commit to a 30 year mortgage just to watch the government let their neighborhood become Tijuana North to prevent de-population.
A lot of young people will never be caught in the mortgage/property tax mire they see around them (if they’d even be lucky enough to qualify for a mortgage, or get a job). Make sure you can differentiate between a temporary “bump” and demographic trends at work for decades.