TWIN FALLS, ID (KMVT) These days if you're selling your home, you could end up selling it for less than you want to. On the other hand, you could also buy more house for less money.

Every once in a while, we hear about somebody who can't make their monthly mortgage payments, and their home is foreclosed on. Or else their home is in foreclosure while it's up for sale. When those houses are sold, they're called distress sales.

Walt Hess, Broker with Gem State Realty, says, "Last year we saw that Twin Falls County, 40% of all sales were distress sales, versus 46% in Jerome County. That's lower than the Treasure Valley."

Hess says last year in Ada County, 48% of the home sales were distress sales. But in neighboring Canyon County, distress sales were 72% of the total number of homes sold. So Magic Valley is in better condition than the Boise area.

Hess says, "Interest rates right now are unbelievably low, 3¾% for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Idaho Housing has a program that's 4.15% with a 3% down that does not carry any mortgage insurance."

Hess says home prices haven't been dropping or climbing as much as they did in 2009 and 2010. And while last year home prices were pretty stable, he says property values could finally begin heading up.

Hess says, "If you're going to be a seller in today's market and you're going to be buying, you're equal. Because you may sell for lower than you want to sell for, but you're also going to be able to take advantage of good buys in the market and good interest rates."

Feb. 20, 2012.