Buyers: Managing Your Frustrations with the Buying Process

Westcoe Realtors, Riverside California…I took a call yesterday from one of our buyers, who was so frustrated with this entire home buying process that they were truly ready to pop.  The huge number of offers, rejections, bidding wars, dwindling housing inventory, and traipsing through repo’s again and again had finally sent them over the edge, and they just needed to vent to someone.  Their frustration totally understandable and we, as Realtors, completely get it.  We too are equally tired of all the garbage that has infiltrated the purchasing process as well.

However, the question of the day is this:  What can a buyer do to survive this current mess of trying to buy a home?  After giving this some thought, we at Westcoe suggest the following.

First, on a practical scale, make sure that you (the buyer) have done all you can to be as prepared as possible when you make your offer.   Lender approvals, credit scores, inspections, etc.  Be as prepared as you can so that if this transaction goes “south”, it is the fault of the seller, not you.  Your agent will tell you all that you must do, and then make sure you are ready to rock and roll.

Secondly, stay patient.  We get this process is frustrating and horribly inefficient.   Remember, we are right there with you the entire way…so we do get it.  Perhaps our only difference is that we are more numb to the fact that we cannot change the process and make it smoother…so we have a tendency to accept this buying nightmare a bit more easily.  We are all stuck in a bizarre real estate world at the moment, yet we will continue to try to make lemonade from this junk.  We (Realtors) are all control freaks by nature, but even we know when to fight, and when to accept that arguing with FNMA or Freddie Mac, or some faceless, nameless asset manager of some foreign hedge fund is useless.  So…do the best you can, and if that is not enough in your current situation, move on to better opportunities.

Thirdly, find some perspective…it helps.  There are so many people in the world right now that have it so much worse than we do, and really getting in touch with that can help keep all this from negatively dominating your life.  Soldiers overseas, job losses, cancellation of health insurance, sickness, etc…these are the things really worth stressing about.  Buying a home?…well, if you are in a position to purchase a home, then chances are you are not dealing with any of the above…and that is a good thing.

Lastly, vent..and vent…AND VENT SOME MORE!  As your real estate agents, that is one of the many reasons why we are here.  Kick us instead of the dog, and then we can all have a laugh, feel better, and work together to make your housing dream come true…because in the end, that is the brass ring at the end of the rainbow, and it will be worth it.

Hang in there, and as always, call us or email us with any real estate issues you may have or want addressed here in our blog.