Dear Monty: We want to buy a home, but we have been outbid twice already. Agents say few homes are coming on the market, which is a big reason for the high prices. Do you have any suggestions about how we could find a home on our own?
Monty’s Answer: Here is what USA Today says about the unusual market in an article titled, “Are We Trapped in Another Housing Bubble? A Rapid Rise in Home Prices Has Some Experts Worried.” The simple answer is to emulate in many ways what real estate agents do to find homes for sale. Assuming you are seeking a single-family home, below are some tasks you can undertake to try to discover a home before it hits the market. If you have the time and are willing to put in considerable effort, it could work.