Living nearby; most homes seem to be sold before they even hit the market- ours was this spring. A realtor asked ours if she had any houses coming up, we approved them looking at it early, realizing we were not done cleaning, and they gave full asking + some other stuff.

I'd find a very good realtor that can work with you, or rent for 6mo, and ensure you like the area the home is in.

I will definitely try that. It seems that many of these houses do not make it past one day without them being "offer pending" : ( This is my first time buying a home so I am trying to learn the ropes. Thanks!

If you have an agent who knows what you are looking for and you trust her, it might not be a bad idea. I have friends who purchased homes across the country after having seen just photos. But you would definitely need an agent to go see it in person. Sometimes photos look better than the real thing and vice verse. Good luck.

Sounds logical sushi. Any reccomendations for Cypress-Spring area?

Since i have no idea where that is, no. I'm in PA, have lived in CA for 45 years before moving here this year. Talk to people you work with, friends, neighbors, people at church. Go to every open house on the weekends, even if not in your targeted area and tell the agents that you are interviewing them. Don't be pressured into signing a Buyer's Agent Agreement until you've talked to 6 or 8 agents.

Here in NC, you can get out of a contract and receive your deposit back if you cancel during the Due Diligence Period. The only money lost is your Due Diligence Fee, which usually is not more than a couple hundred dollars or so.

You may have to take some vacation time to find the home. Why not take a week off of work and make finding your first home your vacation?