Maybe it's because the agents you have contacted are busy with their new 2nd job. ;)

I was thinking that as well. But come on, its been 2 weeks in one case...I bet the home owners would be furious about this. I only asked about listings I truly loved. Im trying to figure out whats wrong with them. lol...with a realtor's helpful shove, I can see myself flying in immediately for any of these listings.

More counties across the country have GIS systems available. Most can give you access to sale prices (don't pay too much attention to the appraised or market value that they use for taxes), and owner names. If you are unhappy with the realtor's response (or lack of) find the owner's name, and give them a call.

Here in the Charlotte area, the three counties we were looking in have a GIS. It was invaluble while we priced out housing options.

ooohhh...that sounds great! New project...searching GIS. I assume I google GIS (city name)? Thanks!

Alot of people think when they email a realtor,that the particular realtor is actually the listing agent. Most of the time it isnt. With the way searches and websites are set up now, they are linked to the MLS and you are actually emailing an agent who may not know anything about the house you are emailing about. Asking for additional pictures is not something that realtor can do.(In my area, it is not permitted for an agent to take pictures of someone elses listing without written permission from the homeowner) Whatever pictures are there, are there. If indeed you are reaching the realtor who is the listing agent, they arent going to rush over and take more pictures for someone who is emailing for info online.(if they have more pictures, they may send them along, but again, chances are you arent reaching the listing agent) Once you meet with a realtor and develop a relationship, you may find someone who will go over and take pictures to email you if they think it is something that you would like since you are out of the area. (I would definitely ask this when you meet with someone).

If a realtor shows you a house that you love and you would be "all over it and ready to negotiate" why say, you arent planning on purchasing anything until Oct? There are buyers who are ready to buy right now, realtors usually will put you on the back burner since you are stating ideally you don't want to purchase for six months.(Personally, I would set you up on automated email and thats about it for now) Nothing that is available now will most likely be available in 6 months so there is no point in getting more pictures or info about any particular house. This could be the reason you are not getting a great response. I would simply say you and your soon to be husband will be coming to the area to start your search for a home. I would like some information about the area, could you please call me to discuss etc. This will likely get you a phone call and a start to the type of relationship you are looking for.

To me it doesnt sound like the information you're asking about is something you need to get from a realtor. Although I think its perfectly fine to ask a realtor what the final sales price was. You can find that and info about neighborhoods online.

Are you sure that the area you are moving to is in a slump? In my area, the buyers seem to think the market is alot worse than it is. Our prices have leveled, sellers have adjusted their prices but buyers still think they are going to get everything for $50,000 under asking. It isnt happening.

Ask for local newspapers in the area you are looking for and also you can review most papers on the internet.
Something listed and avaiable might/might not be the same in Sept. Prices in many areas are still going down. Here they are stable or up because of the oil workers and the base bring in more people. Also it is hard to judge a neighborhood, until you see it both on the weekends and during the week etc.
Look for medical facilities, shopping, ask about electric/gas/phone rates also.
Good luck

The realtors I know are just as busy as they were before, they just aren't actually selling anything. They are busy showing and trying to hold deals together.

I would guess #4 might be your issue. After all, if you are moving to the area and need a house they know you will be buying. But showing you something now is sort of useless unless they know the seller is in no hurry (and they are in no hurry to collect their commission).

ok, thank you. I didnt realize inquiries often go to a random realtor who does not know about the property. I guess I will try to contact those realtors more directly then.
And I will stop telling the realtors I am not planning to buy until September. September is our ideal time frame because my FH will be coming off a contract job and we will be able to relocate to a new state. I dont want to cause extra work for realtors, but I am a cautious person and wont feel the confidence to buy unless I am sure I am making a good decision, backed up with a good prior knowledge of the area/ market. Relying on the internet to learn things will only get me so far. When comparing a persons personal knowledge of an area compared to stats found on the internet, the pictures can be very different.
I think the market (Savannah, GA) is in a housing slump. There was not one house sold in the zip code last month (according to one website). But that isalso why I am curious to see what houses are selling for/ versus listed for.
So I will keep learning as I go.

Before our last move I emailed several Realtors about listings. Some had automatic replies, some didn't respond but one sent a personal email. She inquired about our plans, offered to show us homes when we came up to the area (DH hadn't accepted the new job yet but looking at the housing market was part of the decision process on whether to move). She showed us homes in a variety of price ranges so we could get a feel for what you got for the money in the area. DH took the job and she continued to show him homes while I stayed behind and sold our house. Then when we were ready she worked hard to get us our house. So hang in there. Send out emails or place personal calls and hopefully you will find someone that is responsive and knowledgeable to work with. Good Luck!

Thank you nan...that is the type of experience I am hoping for. I am very enthusiastic and am glad for this forum.

I have done the to a distant state move 2ce now. It is very very hard to figure out where you want to live and what the market is like without being there awhile. And houses always look so much better on the internet in pictures. You just dont see how shabby something looks until you drive up the driveway. If you really are serious - I would go out a couple of times for a week or two beforehand, or rent for awhile. I know I know, I hate renting and moving twice. But both times my assessment of what constitutes the area I wanted to lived changed after I had been there awhile, figured out where the shopping was, the commutes etc.
As for GIS to see what something sold for I think this might help

Here is a link that might be useful: GIS websites by state and county

Every inquiry should be met with a polite reply, but this does sound like a very drawn out fishing expedition.

There's little point asking about specific listings until you are ready to buy. Who knows now what will be on the market in the fall or what prices will be then?

You might find a realtor willing to drive you past some properties in your price range, just to familiarize you with the town. I wouldn't expect showings until you are ready to buy.

We are in a solid area. Prices are good here, and our market is brisk.

If I received an email from a buyer in your position, I would do as Linda said and set them on an auto-search to give them ideas of what's available. You're sending a bit of a mixed signal; you'd be ready to buy right away and you'd like a Realtor to move a little quicker on your behalf, but you're still realistically looking at September.

I would take you at your word if you contacted me, and would probably be inclined to not spend a lot of time searching for you right now when I have buyers *right here* and now who are ready to write offers.

It's rude for them to ignore you completely, but based on the info you're giving, you're probably not coming across as a "buyer", but rather as a "looker".

There's one other factor here that may turn off a realtor. You say that you and your fiance have been wanting to buy a house in this town for years and years. Then you refer to him as your soon to be husband.

It's hard enough to find a house that suits a married couple. It's even harder to deal with a 'maybe' couple. Will you marry before you buy? How will title be held?

Maybe this is what you need to tell them?

Don't ask about specific houses--you really don't want to buy now; you can't even fly out to LOOK until July.

Tell them you're looking NOW for a realtor, because when you get there, you want to be prepared to move fast. And that you're trying to educate yourself about the market, and your budget, and what you can get, NOW, because when you get there, you want to move fast.

Ask them to help you learn about the neighborhoods, the pricing, etc. And to demonstate THEIR skills and service, so you'll know if you want to continue using them when you really start looking in Julyl.

Hi Gamecock,
I agree with the posters that would hold off until you are closer to actually getting to your destination city and a purchase. What is available now, won't be in several months so it's really a waste of your time to get hooked emotionally to a home now. What you should be doing(IMHO) is to connect with a good agent in your destination area. Building a relationship now will put you in good stead down the road. One thing that you MUST find out is what type of "Agency" they practice within that state. Some states still practice what's called "sub-agency" which is where agents' fiduciary duty is to the seller. Here in Arkansas, we are buyer agents unless the buyer is looking at a company listing. That puts both the buyer's agent and the listing agent in a "dual agency" position which basically means that your agent can not help you negotiate. In Illinois, we practice "Designated Agency" which puts buyers in a much better position when it comes to negotiating. In case you're confused, I'm licensed in both states. Next time you talk with an agent, find out what their state laws are regarding agency. Good luck.

The whole 'slump' remains very localized.

Some areas did not have large increases and have remained stable.
Others with run ups have flattened increases, but prices have not actually decreased.

While sale prices (and any trends they exhibit) can be a good indicator, they are always a lagging indicator.
Prices go up and down before it shows in the county data bases.

In some areas the prices of larger houses ($1 million+) have taken a hit, while the market for a $250,000 to $300,000 house remains very tight.