“If a house is priced well it will sell at its current price, close to it or above it,’’Midkiff said. “Last year, the phone didn’t ring. This year, the buyers are out there. They want the best deal they possibly can, but they’re willing to put in the offers to see if they can get something.”

“Most are investors, not firsttime homebuyers,” Cooper said of those asking about foreclosed properties. “This is a league for professionals. You have to have cash and know what you’re doing.”

Brown noted that homebuyers today will pay a premium on the price if they have less than a perfect score.

But real estate experts also caution that buying a home now has its challenges for firsttime buyers and investors.