You've been diligently searching for that perfect home.  Hours have been spent on the internet looking at picture after picture and description after description.  You and your agent have walked into many homes that you felt might be "it" only to walk right back out because none of them were quite what you expected.  You feel as if you're never going to find the house of your dreams, but then, it happens.   That beam of light (along with the sounds of the heavenly choir) shoots from the sky, shining its rays onto this beautiful 2 story, 4 bedroom/2.5 bath brick home.  FINALLY, this is "it". 

This home is everything you were hoping for.  The layout is perfect, there is more square footage than you had planned to find and the color scheme already matches your living room furniture.

So you put in your bid.  It's a buyer's market, so you go for gold.  Your offer is WAY under the asking price.  A counter offer is expected.  Yet, when that counter offer comes, you don't budge.  POOF!  The house that took so long to find and that you loved so much is gone.

What happened?  Through verbal talks you know you could have gotten the house for just a little bit more.  The comps proved that the house was worth it.  The house was within your budget even if you had chosen to meet the seller half way and you know (from all the other homes you looked at) that there are no other homes on the market that even come close to something you like.  You LOVED the house!  It's a home you would have been happy with.  So what happened?

I grew up in a home that didn't have a lot of money.  So I understand the value of trying to find a bargain.  But I also believe you get what you pay for.  I don't personally know anyone who has ever gotten something for nothing.  Most of the truly great bargains that I have seen need a lot of work done to them but you want something move in ready with no repairs necessary.

Be careful of falling into the trap where you are so wrapped up "looking for a bargain" that you miss the good opportunities that fall right in your lap.  Every now and then you will find the "perfect" bargain.  But more often than not, you just missed the chance for a good deal.  I think of it as the "deal or no deal syndrome".  Every time I watch that show I want to scream through the TV for them to TAKE THE MONEY!  It might not be a million dollars, but it's a LOT more than they had when they started.