Post on Nextdoor.

Anonymous wrote:Not the answer you’re looking for but you need to lower your criteria until your offer is competitive - the market is telling you that you’re currently priced out of your ideal criteria.

Another piece of advice that worked for us at a competitive price point (sub $1M in N Arlington in 2025) is to find a house with something that others can’t live with (“dealbreakers”), but you can live with (and ideally fix down the road so it’s not an issue when you sell).

Agree on the dealbreaker. That’s how we got a great deal in N Arlington. And we renovated before moving in to turn 3 annoying dealbreaker issues into our favorite parts of house.

Tell us something about what you are looking for. Or where. My house is not on the market yet and maybe i want to sell to you!

Anonymous wrote:Fall is peak supply for the year.

People never want to buy in the fall because they believe that Larla and Larlo will suffer permanent emotional trauma if they switch schools in October or November. I've never understood this. If they buy now, then Larla and Larlo are still switching schools in the middle of the school year.

The best realtors know the pocket listings and off market potentials. They talk to each other. Use one of them. You may have to ask around. The right realtor is the most important part of this situation.

Anonymous wrote:Find a good realtor who works in the area you want to live and has lots of connections to other agents. Seriously.

My realtor showed me several off markets and we ended up purchasing one. I have another friend who just did the same. This was in McLean and Alexandria

In addition to good advice upthread, look for a realtor who specializes in your target area.

Our neighborhood has a couple “live in” realtors and they’re usually in tune cause they live here.

Check sales information in your target area, and see the names that come up more often than others. Those may be your answer.

Anonymous wrote:Which location and price point?

+1 because if it's a townhouse in north Old Town, I've got you.

Fall is peak supply for the year.

Which location and price point?

Anonymous wrote:Wait until the fall. This time of year is always ultra-competitive and full of Type A's like you. By the fall, all the ultra-competitive people have vanished and barely anyone is buying anymore.

Add Jan and Feb

Wait until the fall. This time of year is always ultra-competitive and full of Type A's like you. By the fall, all the ultra-competitive people have vanished and barely anyone is buying anymore.

Find a good realtor who works in the area you want to live and has lots of connections to other agents. Seriously.

My realtor showed me several off markets and we ended up purchasing one. I have another friend who just did the same. This was in McLean and Alexandria

Inventory is tight out there. If you could identify sellers ahead of time, what would make your offer more attractive than the all cash/no contingency offer? I don’t think finding sellers early is fixing your problem.

Not the answer you’re looking for but you need to lower your criteria until your offer is competitive - the market is telling you that you’re currently priced out of your ideal criteria.

Another piece of advice that worked for us at a competitive price point (sub $1M in N Arlington in 2025) is to find a house with something that others can’t live with (“dealbreakers”), but you can live with (and ideally fix down the road so it’s not an issue when you sell).

My husband and I have been trying to identify potential sellers of properties that fit our criteria but it feels like a losing battle - we are already getting passed by due to all cash, no contingency offers, with some sight unseen. It's freaking ridiculous out here.

We have an agent but I don't feel like they're doing much of anything to help in these efforts. They said the sent letters to potential property owners but that's it.

No mention of networking, posting online, or anything to help further the cause.

I'm tired of sitting around and waiting because that's all we've done for homes that eventually come on the market. We need to be ahead of the market because once something goes live, we've already lost.

So.. is there something I can be doing to help our odds? I'm so frustrated..