Can't find a home

kdaniels29 · May 2014

Wondering if anyone else is having this problem...We started looking for a house a few weeks ago. We bid on one and got outbid. We've now totally exhausted the available homes in the area we're looking in. We tried expanding to the next city over, still nothing. I had really high hopes for a home we went to go see today and from the moment we walked in, we knew it wouldn't work because is WREAKED of smoke. I'm quite sensitive to smoke, no way could I deal with that. I'm feeling pretty discouraged. How can there be nothing more out there? I don't think we're being that picky. Looking for a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1500+ square feet built in the last 25 years. Our realtor says inventory is extremely low. I guess we will just sit and hope people start putting homes on the market now that the weather is starting to get nice.

jtmh2012 · May 2014

Most people move during the summer when kids aren't in school. A lot of inventory opens up then. Granted, prices also tend to go up somewhat depending on the area you're in. Not to say there isn't anything available the rest of the year, but not as much as during the summer.

Also, don't feel rushed to buy a house. It's a huge expense and you want to like the house you've purchased, not be counting the days until you can move out.

hoffse · May 2014

Be patient. A few weeks might feel like a long time, but it's really not that much time at all. H and I have been looking casually for about 2 years, seriously in the last few months. We probably won't buy until this summer or early fall at the very earliest.

PP is correct that families with children tend to move over the summer. Our market got houses dumped on it at the end of January/beginning of February and there just hasn't been much added since then. I'm anticipating another round of it in May/June. After watching it for 2 years we know how cyclical it can be!

Even though we've been looking a really long time, it's been good for us to really get a sense of things we simply aren't willing to compromise on. I would rather stay in our apartment than buy a house that has street parking only. H would rather stay here than buy a house with a teeny tiny master bath that would need a massive renovation to open up. It has certainly made us pickier, but I think we'll be happier with the house in the long run.

PP is absolutely correct that it's a big purchase, a big commitment, and you ultimately need to be satisfied with it.

Just check it every day. Something will pop up.

musictchr25 · May 2014

What is the importance of the home being built in the last 25 years? That may be limiting the market slightly. Also, with a home that smells like smoke, replacing carpets and washing floors and painting walls and ceilings will get rid of the smell pretty quickly. I don't think that should draw you away from the home. Lastly, maybe you should save a little more money that way you can expand your search to homes that may cost more in the area that you want.

SmrBrd2012 · May 2014

I agree with PPs. Searching for a few weeks is nothing...H and I were searching for 6 months until we found something and we were looking as low as 1000 sq ft and 2 bed rooms and our age limit was anything built after 1900, lol. There isn't much out there right now.

blondii428 · May 2014

Yep the market pretty much sucks right now. We have been looking since January and got outbid 6 times. Finally we got lucky and went under contract (now fingers are crossed that closing goes through!)

Hang in there, I have also heard that it picks up in May/June.

mikepugliese · May 2014

Not sure where you are looking but this is generally the busiest time of year because people want to move in the summer. In order to move in the summer your house needs to be under contract 30-90 days before that so things pick up in March/April.

I would just keep looking and eventually something will come up. These days people are looking for months before finding the right home. At least in PA

Can't find a home

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