In recent weeks, Clark has been talking a lot about the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit. You don't actually have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify; you simply must not have owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to purchase.

There's still hope, however, for those who don't meet that loose criteria. Clark anticipates that December and January will be an extraordinary time to buy.

The reason behind his prediction is that the first-time homebuyer credit only provided artificial support for home purchasing. Much like people stopped buying cars when Cash for Clunkers ended, very few people will be purchasing houses when the $8,000 tax credit runs out on Nov. 30.

And, of course, autumn's procession of holidays and the arrival of winter always slow housing activity.

In other tax credit news, the consumer champ wants to get the word out about the federal subsidy of COBRA set to expire on Dec. 31.

The feds will pay for roughly two-thirds of your health premium once you get laid off. It's just there for the asking. That can be a great help when you consider that typically COBRA costs to an individual are your employer's premium plus two percent.