HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Affordable housing is hard to come by, especially here in Tampa Bay, which Zillow recently named the "hottest" real estate market in the entire country.  

If you are looking to sell your home right now, you're in luck, but if you're looking to purchase, it could be a lengthy process.

"My number one was a tub, because a lot of the newer homes didn't have tubs, and of course, my closet," said Jacobi Nicoles as she gave us a tour of her brand new Tampa home.

Nicoles and her family recently moved to Tampa Bay, and finding a home to buy wasn't easy. 

Nicoles recommends "persistence, and having a good realtor, and a strong foundation, and people supporting you because you're going to need it. It is tough."

David Ferrara, Nicoles' realtor, helped her put in multiple offers on other homes that weren't accepted. Ferrara said bidding wars are commonplace now. "Limited inventory means the sellers' market we're in, and with limited inventory, means there's two to three times as many buyers, which means more competition."

Lately, Ferrara said he's seeing a lot of people looking to move from northern states, like New Jersey and New York, where the cost of living is much higher. Now, because of the pandemic, more people are working remotely and able to live wherever they want, so they're looking to move somewhere like Florida, where their dollar goes further, he said.  

"We have low taxes, compared to other states, and we're Champa Bay," Ferrara said. "We have hot sports teams, hot beaches, and everyone loves it. You can work from home because of COVID and come to a market that has great weather, great sports to watch, and low taxes — can't beat it."  

And now that Nicoles is finally closing on her home, she said she can get to the good part, enjoying her new home.  

"What is there not to like about this home?" she asked. "This is my home! I love everything about it. Everything I need is basically here, and I'm ready to start my new adventures!"

Also something to keep in mind if you're in the market for a new home, realtors expect mortgage rates to go up this year.  

They could possibly exceed 4% by the end of 2022, realtors said.