Three tips to help buyers hit the bull's eye: focus, focus, focus.
Home-buying is a challenge these days. Buyers need to be flexible, but not so flexible they lose their focus.
Tip 1: Focus on just a few areas. "I'm looking from San Francisco to San Jose" may seem like a great way to keep your options open, but that's way too much ground to cover.
Narrow your search. Drive around looking for neighborhoods you like. Pay attention to shopping and weather. Go to open houses and check back to see what they sell for. Keep looking until you find an area you like and can afford.
Tip 2: Stay focused on what's important you to. What two or three amenities must you absolutely have? A certain school district? An easy commute? A great downtown? A place with no stairs?
Whatever your must-haves, stay with them long enough to either find them in your target area and price range or know you can't. Maybe you'll drive up some dead ends along the way, but the alternative—changing your priorities every week—will just have you spinning your wheels at the starting line.
Change your mind too often and you may forget to give your agent her latest marching orders. And even if you do tell her, she may forget. You may too. Keep your quest as simple and manageable as you can.
Tip 3: Once you find a property that seems to meet your top two or three needs, stay focused on the big picture. Keep reminding yourself "this hits all my hot buttons and I can afford it". Unfortunately, it just doesn't get any better than that in an area where almost everyone is priced out of what they really want, many are priced out of all but the most basic of housing, and most are just plain priced out.
Be willing to make small and even large compromises. Don't like the carpeting? Budget for new carpeting. Does the house need updating? Does it have an awkward floor plan? Does it lack a family room? Think seriously about living with those drawbacks, at least for a while. This could be your chance to get the location and size you want at a price you like.
Stay flexible but focused, and you'll hit the bull's eye.