The one word that describes this market climate most accurately is "Certainty". The whole world seems to be a tipping point. Will Yellowstone blow up? Will the Mayans be right and the tipping of the earth's axis fling us off the planet? Will the Magnetosphere crumble under the weight of historic solar storms and we will burn up like a marshmallow too close to the heat? Will the US computer system get hacked? Will water supplies get a dose of a lethal something? Will Iran pursue a nuke? The list is endless. So dear readers, when it comes time to buy real estate, what the heck metrics do you use to gauge your risk-o-meter?
Well, whatever you choose to use as a guide, you want certainty! Buyers want to know will this house appreciate? Will the bank approve the short sale? Sellers want to know if this buyer will perform or get skittish and vaporize after 6 months of tedious on line entries to Equator and emails to the black hole called the negotiator! Will the house appraise? Will the trustee postpone the sale? There is NO CERTAINTY!
THAT is the only thing that is certain. Fagetaboutit!
So as a buyer, how do you get an offer accepted? Strut your stuff. Write the letter of your life about why this is THE house for you, after exhaustive searching this is the one. You will not get frustrated and find another house. You understand the bank process is more snarled than than a lion deprived of red meat for a month! You swear, on a stack of disclosures, you will hang in. Then you bring a suitcase of money to the seller. ALL CASH is king. Sorry, but there it is... 20% down, nice but no cigar. Lending conditions could be different by the time the bank calls with an approval. Your loan could go poof, you might spend your down payment on a depression correcting shopping spree.
If you are a regular nice guy owner buyer, you could get lucky. Your agent could be a dream influencer and charm you into the heart of the listing agent. It can happen, but don't count on it. And if you are financing, it will be harder to drive the discount chuck wagon. They will punish you for not having cash.
Here is the certainty you can rely on~~ it is certainly going to be a tough ride. But keep trying, what is it they say about blind squirrels? There are lots of opportunities.. Keep your hand in the pie, you will eventually find your plum!
