This is an ideal time to buy.

RISMEDIA, Feb. 14, 2008-Despite all of the negative commentary about the housing and credit markets, 64% of Americans believe that for those with good credit and a down payment “this is an ideal time to buy a home,” according to a study commissioned by Beazer Homes, one of the country’s top-10 homebuilders. Perhaps with an eye toward the future, 24% of survey respondents-from Gen Y to Baby Boomers-say they plan to buy a new home in the next two years either as a primary residence or second/vacation home.

“We know the American consumer believes with great conviction that home ownership is a smart investment over the long term,” said Ian McCarthy, president and CEO of Beazer Homes. “Savvy consumers realize that housing is a cyclical industry and some appear to be waking up to the opportunities that do exist in today’s marketplace. Whether they act on this conviction remains to be seen, but the underlying sentiment bodes well for the industry.”

Indeed, 65% of survey respondents agree that given the current supply of homes for sale and special incentives this is “truly a buyer’s market.” And, 39% believe that tentative buyers who are waiting for home prices to go lower risk “missing out on one of the greatest home-buying markets in recent history.”

As in most areas, experience brings additional confidence. The survey found 70% of experienced home buyers-those who have purchased at least one home-urging renters to purchase a home as soon as he or she is financially able to do so.

The company says that this sentiment seems to resonate with prospective first-time buyers, with 30% citing they are “looking to make an investment” as their primary motivation for purchasing a new home. This is followed by the desire for a better location (22%) and the need for a bigger home (21%). Experienced buyers, on the other hand, ranked a ‘desire for less maintenance and up-keep’ (35%), better location (27%) and investment (14%) as the primary motivations for their next home purchase.

Across the board, consumers appear optimistic about the availability of home mortgage options. For experienced buyers, 75% believe there are plenty of mortgage options available for those with good credit compared with 53% of first-time buyers. When it comes to securing a home mortgage, 24% of total respondents report they are currently saving for a down payment.

“While this is clearly a challenging time for the homebuilding industry, for those who are financially grounded, we believe it is an ideal time to buy a home. It’s an even better time to buy a brand new home.” said McCarthy. “Now more than ever, a newly constructed home is likely to be a much better value for home buyers when compared with the purchase of a re-sale home.”

Benefits to purchasing a newly constructed home include more livable floor plans, better warranties, energy-efficient systems and options and, in many instances, the ability to personalize certain features such as flooring, cabinetry and paint colors. Additionally, a new home does not require the costly updates or remodeling that can accompany the purchase of a re-sale home.

Beazer Homes surveyed 548 adults nationwide, Jan. 4-7, 2008, between the ages of 25 to 72 with a minimum annual household income of $40,000.