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We are still in a buyer's market in the sense that prices are low, supply is high and there are great interest rates available. But in my multiple offer market...the process has changed dramatically. It's becoming critical that buyers move fast....because the houses are moving fast.

Friday I took a couple out to look at homes who are more comfortable moving slowly....which is understandable. We did see one "turn-key" home they just loved. It was the first home they really felt worked for them. The price was right, the street was perfect, the schools were good! It was vacant and being sold by a seller with equity. Perfect!!!!

We spent close to an hour there.....wandered around, sat in the staged furniture, walked around the block. Lot's of time to open cupboards and "test the tires." As we left they both said how much they wanted to write an offer...but wanted to sleep on it. I told them my concern was that going into the weekend, they might want to get their offer in on Friday so they had no competition. No they had to sleep on it.

Late Saturday they called to ask about the home and writing an offer. So I pulled it up on the computer....sure enough, it was in back-up. So I called the agent to find out what was going on. She said they had an offer they got on Thursday and it came close enough that the sellers didn't want to bother with showings over the weekend and took it first thing Saturday morning.

We were a better offer......we were putting 30% down, we had a slightly higher price in mind. We would have gotten the deal had our offer gone in on Friday. My buyers were devastated and couldn't understand how it could have gone that fast.

Learning curve....hesitancy in my market is not going to work. We are moving fast!

 

 

 Karen Fiddler
Broker/Associate
The Fiddler Realty Team/eVantage Real Estate
Lic # 01494165

www.SearchForOrangeCountyHomes.com

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14 Comments on Buyer's Learning Curve.....how to buy in a fast market.

MAY
03
2009
260,424 Points 10 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

This is a great blog and I'm so glad to hear things are starting to pick up in your neck of the woods. I reblogged it on my blog since our markets are so tied together. When you slow down, so do we. Thanks again - great post!

10:47am • #1
141,382 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router

THings are starting to pick up here as well. The inventory has gone down  as the "good" deals have been snatched up. If it is  a fair value it is not lasting long! Unfortunately it's a learning lesson too to some of our buyers who need to "sleep" on things.

10:55am • #2
706,295 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

This is a sign that we are moving towards a more normal market, and that means buyers have to act when they see it.    This is no longer 2008.     More of this will happen, and then the media will be all over it, and then buyers will realize that there are a lot of buyers out there, and only one listing.    Unless they "have to", most owners are holding.    The beginning of the "cash is the next bubble" syndrome????

10:58am • #3
680,605 Points 129 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

It's so frustrating for the buyers...and I feel like a used car salesman by trying to get them to move when they see something they want. Now I'm off to show them more homes this afternooon....I hope they jump if they see something.

11:01am • #4
571,409 Points 39 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

Oh my gosh, Karen!  Same thing has happened here on several occassions.  Things are to move quickly here again and there just really isn't time to sleep on it if the buyers feel "it is the one".  Good luck with them this afternoon and maybe they learned a hard lesson.  Hopefully, they find a BETTER "the one"!

11:08am • #5
680,605 Points 129 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I hope they find a better one too...I felt so badly. I'm out here all the time and it's all my buyers who need to move quickly! So I know what I'm talking about...but sometimes they have to go through things on their own to know.

11:14am • #6
160,321 Points

Buyers need to be prepared to write as soon as they see a home that meets 95% or betterof their criteria. Especially a resale with equity , that is a huge fiind in our marketplace.

11:42am • #7
242,464 Points

I have buyers I am working with this has happened you try to tell them the good ones don't last. Maybe next time they will move quicker.

11:51am • #9
Hit Router

It always takes a buyer to lose a home like that for them to realize how fast they can go.  But yet you hate to pressure them into thinking they all go that fast.

12:52pm • #10
503,623 Points 39 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Karen - This is a great reminder to us all to inform our clients of the risk they take when they DON'T make an offer.  "Are you prepared to lose this house?  If so, then it's fine to go sleep on it."

4:17pm • #11
680,605 Points 129 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

It's just so hard to explain WHY they need to move without seeming pushy. I spend a great deal of time explaining all the contingencies and that they are still going to have plenty of time to go see the home again.....but it's not like buying a car where the car will still be there the next day.

5:01pm • #12
MAY
08
2009
225,419 Points 4 Featured Posts

Hi Karen - We're experiencing the same thing here in Southern Oregon. I working with one buyer who has been actively trying to find a place for 6 months and has been outbid 9 times. Unfortunately for them, the entry level price range is moving quickly, and our inventory contracted 26% Apr'08-Apr'09. The buyers have a hard time understanding when they are being fed other information, but reality can lead to a hard lesson.

10:12pm • #13
MAY
09
2009
680,605 Points 129 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I know....I think that some of it is driven by the fact that the same buyers are writing offers on every home they see....so we are probably competing with all the same people, then some come back on the market. Very strange deals.

10:12am • #14

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