there is nothing out there

im getting discouraged. i have scoured MLS and listingbook. there is nothing

we find a house that we like/love and its gone immediately... before we can even pick up the phone to make an appointment to see it

grrrr.

Re: there is nothing out there

Ugh0 we're right there with you. We've been looking for foreevvverrrr

Re: there is nothing out there

We THOUGHT we found the right house and then it didnt work out. We were so discouraged n upset but then we found our dream home..this house is sooo much better than what we previously liked. So dont worry it's out there and when it's meant to b..u will get it!!!! good luck girls!

Re: there is nothing out there

Its there it just sucks. We looked for jusy about 2 years. We saw hundreds ofnhouses, all different areas all different styles. 4 contracts later we have a house. Not the "forever" house, but our home. It was worse then planning a wedding. We constantly felt defeated. You will find something. I literally drove up and down blocks in certain neighborhoods looking for for salesigns.

Re: there is nothing out there

Sorry you are having such a tough time! I am surprised that the homes you like are selling so quickly, especially since it sounds like you stay on top of new listings.

It sounds like you are spending a lot of time looking online before you look in person. I know everyone is busy, so you want to "prescreen" houses before you go see them, but as you know, houses often look VERY different in person than what the photos show. I think you cannot really get a good feel for a house by looking online. Is it possible you are overlooking houses that would really work for you because you are screening them out based on the online listing?

Also, as an agent, I always try to figure out WHY my customers want certain things (or don't want certain things), because sometimes a house that they don't think will work for them will actually be perfect, even if it doesn't have everything they think they want or need. So the "why" is important.

For example, when I bought my own house, I did not want a split level, because I grew up in one and didn't love the layout and felt it was too small, and my husband didn't want a corner property, as he felt the yard would be too small. But guess what? We bought a split (witha bigger, different layout than what I grew up in) and a corner house (the lot is actually bigger than the other yards on the block and very private with a fence and nice landscaping), and we love it! My agent made us see it, but we completely overlooked it on MLS.

Another customer of mine wanted a basement, but it turns out she wanted it because she needed a play area for her kids that wouldn't be a part of the main living space. She found a great house with no basement but a large family room in an out of the way location, and realized that would work just as well for her.

I know there are certain things that are must-haves, but sometimes if you are willing to consider, or at least go see, some houses you overlooked online, you find "the one." if you are working with an agent who knows what you need, maybe have him or her line up some appointments for you to look at houses that you may not have considered from the listing, but that could be great.

Also, spring is when we get a flood of new inventory on the market, so if there's nothing out there for you now, there will be a lot more to see in the coming weeks. Hang in there!

Christine

Re: there is nothing out there

Are you working with an agent? They can see new listings usually a day before they are on MLSLI. Good Luck with your search. More houses should be coming on with the spring approaching!

Re: there is nothing out there

Don't get discouraged Karin!!! Just have faith. I'm sure you guys will find the perfect house!! From what I hear there's going to be a ton of new inventory in the next couple of months on now too!

Re: there is nothing out there

We didn't find our house until we went out with an agent. I had compliled a whole list of houses and must have missed our house because when I got the agent''s office she had this one on the list. It had just been listed and I never saw it. Working with an agent really helped a lot!

Re: there is nothing out there

thanks everyone! we are working with an agent and she is great. i think i just need to find some patience, im just anxious.

we've had some bad luck the past few weeks so I hope that turns around and the inventory does pick up!

Re: there is nothing out there

Re: there is nothing out there

Posted by Belongs2DanBuckley

Posted by beautyq115

We didn't find our house until we went out with an agent. I had compliled a whole list of houses and must have missed our house because when I got the agent''s office she had this one on the list. It had just been listed and I never saw it. Working with an agent really helped a lot!

ITA- I also think they help you really take out your "must have" and "like to have" list and examine them. Sometimes they change...sometimes a "like to have" changes into a "must" or they'll show you a diff type of house you weren't typically open to.

I think it just takes time. This is DEFINITELY worse than wedding planning!

Re: there is nothing out there

You will find one, it just takes time. Some very lucky people find 1 right away, but usually takes longer for most. Took us 6 months & we saw over 60 houses in person (nevermind how many thousands online..). SOOOO glad we didn't settle for something, our house was worth the wait for us.

Good luck!

Re: there is nothing out there

DEFINITELY worse than wedding planning and more stressful at the same time.

This tends to be a slower time of year for listings as well from what I've been told - there is usually a pick up come spring.

Don't ever compromise on location - that's the one thing you can't change!

Re: there is nothing out there

Oh I know. I was actively looking for 3 years. We did not want to settle this time around and that's how long it took us to find the closest house to what we were looking for. It was a very long and tiring 3 years but we are thrilled now and glad it's in the past.

Hang in there and DON't settle. I came close to it many times but thankfully I never did.

Re: there is nothing out there

Posted by PumpkinGirl

SOOOO glad we didn't settle for something, our house was worth the wait for us.

Good luck!

Re: there is nothing out there

Go and see everything in your range. How many neighborhoods are you looking at?

As the realtor advised houses online don't always look the same in person and sometimes I have a hard time "getting" the layout from the pictures. It is exhausting and frustrating but you will find THE house.

Re: there is nothing out there

I agree that you shouldn't compromise on location. I think you are much better off buying in the area you want -- school district, location, etc. -- and getting a house that is not in perfect condition than buying the best house in a less desirable neighborhood. You can't change the location, and it's also better for resale value.

Sometimes it takes a lot to envision what a house could be. I am not saying this is at all the case with you, but sometimes it's hard for home buyers to see potential in a home that has dingy carpet or ugly wallpaper or a really dated kitchen or bathroom. Even in terms of layout -- some things cannot be changed, but you can always do things like add on or even take down walls to open up space. Of course, everyone has their own threshold for how much work they want to take one, and I know I wanted a pretty move-in ready house (because I had a newborn when I bought).

But I know there are a lot of great buys out there right now, esp. for those who can see past cosmetic issues.

It can be really frustrating, but it's definitely worth it in the end when you find a great house (and you will!).

Re: there is nothing out there

I'm with you! I'm getting frustrated with the house hunt.
We found houses we love but we're trying to determine if its worth it with the price its at.
I'm really starting to feel discouraged.

Re: there is nothing out there

It took us a LONG time to find 'our' house!

It will happen for you, just give it time.

Re: there is nothing out there

I know it is frustrating. We looked at more than 200 houses over a 2 year period. Went to contract on two houses that wasted our time.

It can be tough but trust me it all works out in the end. I hated when people said it to me but in the end it was true. Best of Luck!