How many places did you look at before buying? (to rent, houses)

[Scott99999]

Here's the article:
Westchester, Putnam home prices dip | lohud.com | The Journal News

I think it echoes some of what I was saying (emphasis mine)...

Sales of Westchester houses were down 26.9 percent year over year, while condo sales were off 44.1 percent. Declines in average sales prices in both counties suggested the fall was being felt across all property types and price ranges, including those above $1 million, the MLS said.

....

"The buyers are out there. I don't like to use the term 'bottom-feeder,' but of course they're looking for the deals," said Rhett Mitchell, principal broker at Merritt Associates in Scarsdale.

At the same time, he has noticed strong seller resistance to further price reductions despite falling sales numbers throughout the year. "Somebody better get the message," Mitchell said. "We're just not in the same kind of market we've been in in the last four, five years."

...and from the buyer perspective:

One house in Crestwood was listed at $680,000, she said, but it needed a new roof, windows and kitchen. She said she couldn't understand why it wasn't listed for less, particularly given the current state of the economy.

"I think they really have to be more cognizant of what's going on out there," said Gianakis, 43. "I'm new to this, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. … I'm not asking for a bargain-basement price; I'm asking reality here."

[JamesBoyer]

Originally Posted by ez2do4now

I assume you have already browsed Realtor.com because it is a quick way of searching for houses based on location, price, size, age, etc. They even indicate the elementary, middle, and high schools for each home. The photos are a bonus to view the homes interiors.

Just a thought.

I am sure he has, as it tends to be where people start searching in the beginning before the graduate to other systems. For reasons Realtor.com has not been able to figure out fora really long time now, dispite spending tens of millions of dollars on it, people tend to start disliking Realtor.com after they have used it for a while.

As to the post by NatasNJ still a lot to look at. I do tend to show people houses possibly 10% above their price range but only if I have a strong feeling that the home can be purchased in the buyers price range or if the buyer loves it the buyer will make things work.

It has been my experence though that people who look at more then 40 homes are much less likely to ever buy, at least not while I am working with them.

There was another comment out there about how easy it is to look at 6 to 8 homes in a day. I generally try to keep that number closer to 5 or 4 as it is way to easy for a buyer to gloss over the right house because they have looked at to many that day.

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by Scott99999

Here's the article:
Westchester, Putnam home prices dip | lohud.com | The Journal News

I think it echoes some of what I was saying (emphasis mine)...



...and from the buyer perspective:

Scott... is this what you are looking for? This is in Wayne, NJ listed at 529K and has just over 1/2 acre. Wayne also has a brand new NJ transit station. This may be an area you may want to check out?

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[wileynj]

never mind scott...just picked up on the "my wife works in Rockland"... wayne is too far.. sorry!

[Shwa]

The family who bought my townhouse last year said they looked at 80 homes prior to visiting ours. I think ours had all the basic criteria they wanted but also had that "feel" they were looking for. You know, the one where you know "this is the one". I think that's the reason staging is so important. You have to make your house comfortable, clean, organized and a pleasure to live in.... so someone else will want to live there, too!

[JamesBoyer]

Well it may just be something where people who will visit the city-data forums tend to be indecisive people, but the stats I continue to see indicate that the number of homes that buyers look at in person with their Realtor continues to fall. Last number I had seen was the average was down to 8 from an average of 22 6 or 7 years ago.

[NatasNJ]

Originally Posted by JamesBoyer

Well it may just be something where people who will visit the city-data forums tend to be indecisive people, but the stats I continue to see indicate that the number of homes that buyers look at in person with their Realtor continues to fall. Last number I had seen was the average was down to 8 from an average of 22 6 or 7 years ago.

Are those numbers state specific? Nationwide? Location specific? Just wondering.

[JamesBoyer]

Originally Posted by NatasNJ

Are those numbers state specific? Nationwide? Location specific? Just wondering.

They were off a national survey, I think the last article I was reading about it came off of Inman news. Nothing was broken down by state, as far as what I read and remember, but it would not be a stretch to assume that in areas where home buyer internet usage is higher, actual homes looked at in person is lower.

My personal trends have been to buyers looking at fewer homes before making a decision over the 5 years I have been in real estate.

[JERSEY MAN]

if people look at over 50 homes and can't make their minds up they better rent.

[NatasNJ]

Originally Posted by JERSEY MAN

if people look at over 50 homes and can't make their minds up they better rent.

Disagree 100%.