From Homescape

If Realtors put any credence to what some home buyers think, a conspiracy theory may not sound so crazy. Many folks hear about the great real estate values here in Charlotte, NC. In their mind, they’re picturing Tara, the home of Scarlett O’Hara, (even though “Gone With the Wind” was filmed in Atlanta, GA, some four hours away). The buyer envisions a stunning two-story home sitting on five-acres of land with a sweeping front porch, spacious basement, three-car-garage and it’s located near the best school district in town. Oh, did I mention, the buyer only wants to pay about $150,000 or less for their antebellum dream home.

Then, when the agent can’t find the home or anything even closely resembling it, we become the bad guys. These buyers ask if we’re SURE that their dream house isn’t out there somewhere (well, maybe in Alabama, but I can’t verify that rumor). And then they insist on us to continue the search because they’re absolutely positive they saw something like it on the Internet.

For all the home buyers who believe there are agents out there hording a stockpile of dream homes for a rainy day, I promise, there’s no conspiracy theory. I am not hiding your perfect house from you. Trust me, if I could find you that perfect home, why would I choose NOT to sell it to you? Realtors who are working as buyer agents only get paid here in North Carolina at closing after you’ve located a great house, passed inspections and appraisals and the loan has been approved. Until then, were on the hunt. If you go back to basic logic, it makes no sense that we would be hiding a house from you which you might buy.

I know that you’ve heard about Charlotte’s great attributes, such as the city’s strong job growth, a low tax threshold, competitive public schools, the lovely four-season climate and the low cost of living. But that doesn’t mean the houses are free. The last thing an agent wants to do is break your heart, so don’t get angry with her when she searches and finds nothing, then discusses with you what your compromise might be. The job of the agent is to find the best house within your budget and to be HONEST with you during the process. You don’t want to get left sitting on the sidelines, futilely searching for a house that doesn’t exist. Always keep your mind open to other possibilities, and your dream home might just be something you never even imagined before.