Still houseless in Heel country

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My wife and I made our first offer on a Charlotte-area home today. It was for 96 percent of the asking price. After keeping us waiting for 10 hours, the owner countered by barely moving off her price. So the search continues.

In Charlotte, as most is the case the most locales, it is a buyer's market. There is a lot of inventory, and prices have been depressed by the multitude of foreclosures. Charlotte is one of the nation's banking hubs, and when the banks went bust, so did a good chunk of the area's economy.

Many potential buyers are lowballing when they make offers. But we thought this was a relatively reasonably priced home in outstanding shape in a nice neighborhood. So we gave it our best shot with as fair an offer as we could.

When our realtor called to say the owner wouldn't sell to us, Roberta, who really liked the house, barely shrugged her shoulders. She thought all along that the owner wasn't very motivated and didn't think we'd get the house. I thought we had a chance, though, so I was a little sad.

Should we have ponied up a little more dough to buy this home? If we had, it wouldn't necessarily have been the "wrong" move. Sticking to our budget, however, definitely was the right move. In any kind of negotiation, one must draw the line somewhere.

After the holiday, we'll reassess where we are in our search and start looking at houses again. It's a slow and sometimes trying process. Yet I'm sure we'll find another place we'll like - maybe even a better one in a better location at a better price.

In this Thanksgiving season, I'm grateful for everything we've got - including a roof over our heads in our little apartment, and the financial means to at least be considering a home purchase.

Here's hoping you all have many reasons to give thanks, too.
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