CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Some real estate agents say there is an upside to all these foreclosures in Southwest Florida. Your dream home may be at your dream price.

Owning the key to unlock a home on NE 5th Avenue is a dream come true for Della Guerra. "Two years ago it wouldn't have happened," said Guerra.

In 2006 Guerra just graduated nursing school and ready to find a job and a home for her and her son. She says they were just too expensive.

"My son and I just rented and I started noticing prices going down and down and down and then into my price range," says Guerra.

Guerra ended up finding and then buying her dream home in Cape Coral.

Real Estate Consultant Barry Soloman says more people, like Guerra, are taking advantage of Florida's foreclosures. "We're up about 284% in the number of homes sold," says Soloman.

A couple things to keep in mind:

Solomon says make sure get an agent well versed in foreclosures.

Deal with a direct lender and get that lender to write a commitment letter, a piece of paper that guarantees you *will get your loan.

"Until that is obtained you can't even submit an offer on a home you may fall in love with," says Soloman.

Soloman says your credit has to be good in the upper six hundreds and there is competition out there. Cash buyers from Canada and Europe are also ready to snatch up foreclosed homes.

Both Solomon and Guerra say there is no time like the present to stop waiting and start looking.