It’s not a bad time to be a homebuyer. Just don't think the odds will be on your side indefinitely. Mortgage standards, such as credit score requirements, have started to loosen, and mortgage rates remain low. Although it is a seller's market in many parts of the country, many sellers realize that today's buyers are more conservative and will not overpay. Still, if you are planning to buy, act quickly. The housing market is expected to heat up in coming months and rates will eventually rise -- believe it or not. Here are five housing trends you should expect to see this Fall.

1. Mortgages with lower credit scores.

You may have heard that it's hard to get a mortgage unless you have perfect credit. But in reality, lenders seem to be loosening their credit standards. The average credit score for mortgages that closed in August was 727, according to Ellie Mae's latest origination insight report. That's still a high score, but it's much lower than the 750 average seen a couple years ago. For mortgages that closed in August 2013, the average credit score was 734. For loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA loans, the average score of loans closed in August was 682. It was 697 in April 2013.

2. Buyers seek more affordable markets

If you think buyers aren't willing to move out of their comfort zones to live in more affordable housing markets, you may want to reconsider. Many buyers, especially the younger generation, are relocating to areas that didn't seem as appealing before, but now they are prioritizing affordability, says Daren Blomquist, vice president for RealtyTrac, a real estate data company in Irvine, California.

3. More conservative buyers

Buyers, especially millennials, have been conservative with their spending, says Pava Leyrer, director of training for Northern Mortgage Services in Grandville, Michigan. "They are sticking to their budgets," she says. The younger generation views a house as a place to live and not the great investment that their parents once thought they had made, Blomquist says. A survey by Fannie Mae shows that 40 percent of the millennial generation thinks buying a home is a safe investment with great potential, compared with about 50 percent of boomers. About 36 percent of millennials say buying a home is either a safe investment with very little potential or a risky investment with very little potential, according to the survey.

4. Rates may finally start to climb

This may be your last chance to lock a rate while mortgage rates are at the bottom. The Mortgage Bankers Association expects the 30-year fixed rate to climb to 4.5 percent by the fourth quarter of the year, according to the association's latest forecast. That's still an attractive rate, but if the MBA is right, the fixed rate will climb gradually, reaching 5 percent by mid-2015.

5. Housing market might gain traction

Total housing inventory fell 1.7 percent at the end of August to 2.31 million existing homes available for sale, according to the latest report by the National Association of Realtors. That represents a 5.5-month supply of homes and it's 4.5 percent higher than a year ago. Pent-up demand from potential buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines also may lead to more sales this fall. Read the entire post at: Bankrate.com | Polyana da Costa Renaissance Homes is an award winning Street of Dreams custom home builder specializing in green building for the Portland market.Visit our Design Studio to personalize your next home.