Are you being realistic?

All right, all you Metro Detroit first time home buyers it's getting to be crunch time. If you want to get your your $8000 you need to buy a home and close on it by December 1, 2009. We need a signed purchase contract by November 1, 2009.

So let me ask you how long have you been looking? 3 months, 4 months, or 5 months? How many homes have you looked at? 30? 50? 70? Have you lost more than one offer that you have put in? Have you lost more than one home because you were outbid. Were you outbid by $10,000 or more dollars?

Maybe you have changed Realtors because they weren't getting what you want. Have you been bidding on homes at the top of your price range? And you can't bid over the list price?

Are you tired of losing homes? Then it may be time to scale back your expectations. Now is the time to start looking at homes a little below your upper price range. Many Metro Detroit foreclosuresare selling over list price. So you may need to be able to bid over the list price to get the home.

If you have lost three or more homes because you were out bid, now may be the time to re access what you can really afford. What you can really buy. What you can really win?

The key is to get a home. The key is to live within your means. Sometimes you can't have everything you want the first time. Remember this is your first home. It's just a start. So sit down and think about what you need to do.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent