I hope you will all "sign" Trulia's petition to extend the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. The recent positive trends (rising home prices in 18 out of the 20 metro areas sampled by the S&P/Case-Shiller index) could be indicative of the Tax Credit's benefits. Additionally, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence index rose from 47.4 in July to 54.1 in August.

As owner of a home in Michigan, I especially keep an eye on market trends there. The average price of sold homes in Detroit was $11,596 in July (seriously – ask the Michigan Association of Realtors). While the plummeting home values are bad news for me, it’s strangely good news for some of my friends who were previously unable to own their own homes. With the help of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, more of peers are inclined to take advantage of this buyer’s market.

We are just starting to see the good effects of the Tax Credit. Let’s extend the opportunity to really reap all the benefits! Sign Trulia’s petition here: http://act.ly/ig