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Is It Just Me?

By
Real Estate Agent with Resource One Realty, LLC

Is it just me or have things slowed down a little?  It seems like a few weeks ago, spring was in the air and everyone had a more positive attitude about real estate.  Now both buyers and sellers seem to be back at the same frustration level they had this past winter.

I have a buyer who has looked at over 30 homes and is getting frustrated that they can't find "anything".  Sometimes you have to look at 50 or 60 house to find the right one.   Even when they get very specific, there is so much inventory to chose from they want to see most if not all of them.

I've always adopted the attitude that I will show as many houses as necessary until the buyer finds the property that goes from house to "home" for them.  My problem isn't in the showing of the houses.  It's keeping buyers, and seller for that matter, from being so discouraged.  Everyone needs to just lighten up a little.

When did we lose our collective "patience".  Home buying and selling is a process that is difficult to measure.   There is no magic number any more.

Sure there are people who say "I'm buying a house in the next two weeks" but they are the exception rather than the rule. For some, looking at house has become a recreational sport.  Fortunately, they too are the exception, not the rule.  Most good agent recognize the latter and discontinue working with them until they "serious up".

To ease the frustration, I try to make the home buying or selling experience fun again.  I'm a fun person anyway so it's not very hard.

Take care. 

Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Cindy... I don't think it is just you.  I'm finding that too. I believe it has to do with the ever increasing gas prices.  No end in sight, how can one budget?

May 21, 2008 03:27 AM
Andrew Baumbach
Homestead Realty Inc. - Milwaukee, WI
Greater Milwaukee Real Estate

It's always great to make your job fun. It's something I try to do everyday.

The buyers are extremely fussy these days, but there are also some amazing deals out there.

Things are really picking up in my market, and alot of available homes that would be great for my buyer clients are getting A/Os left and right. Especially when we see some of the really nice REOs that are getting bidding wars.

Stay positive, have fun, and make sure you have a buyer that is serious about buying and not just looking at homes.

May 21, 2008 03:29 AM
David Patterson
Columbia, SC
ibdp3

Cindy:

In comparison to 2005, things are slow from a closing standpoint. At the moment, I'm slow in a different way.

1. I have a buyer that is playing CHICKEN with a seller over $5000. Who will blink first?

2. I have a relocation buyer that is looking for a needle in a haystack. If I find the needle, we'll close.

3. Another buyer called me on last night to tell me about their new DISAPPROVAL on their loan.

I'm slow with closing.......I'm BUSY with CHALLENGES!

I wish you better luck and much success throughout the remainder of 2008.

May 21, 2008 05:10 AM
Kevin O'Shea
Coldwell Banker - White Plains, NY
White Plains, NY Real Estate

Hi Cindy,

It is really important to try to keep it fun. It is more difficult these days to keep it fun.

One of the problems is that the sellers aren't educated to the slower market and they aren't ready to negotiate as much as they need to.

 

All the best!

May 21, 2008 02:44 PM