I received a question from a reader today that made me chuckle. It was a valid question; and it gave me pause to think…and pausing is not something I’ve had a lot of time for in this market. With the accuracy of our Top 10 picks, we’re working with so many buyers looking for a good deal that I can get caught up in the wheeling-and-dealing. I can forget that some buyers are buying a home to love, not merely to get a good return on investment.

Among those who feel the need to blame investors for our market downturn, 2007’s catch phrase was “people need to remember that houses are homes, not inventory”. I appreciated this reader’s question because it reminded me that I need to slow down occasionally, and keep in mind that some buyers are planning to buy their dream home. Not a unit or an investment vehicle, but a home. In this reader’s case it is likely his last home.

Jerry and his wife plan to retire to Las Vegas soon, and I’ve agreed to help tailor a search for them. Jerry and his wife don’t buy homes for a living. While everyone who asks for my help tells me they are looking for a smoking hot deal, some people really are simply looking for a home to love.

I helped Jerry identify areas that offer the lifestyle he and his wife want to enjoy. He wanted to show me examples of homes that he’d researched before we met, so that I could understand what was important to him. We talked for several minutes about amenities. And then Jerry wanted to know if I offer “foreclosure tours” like he’s seen other companies hosting.

Not every foreclosure is a good deal--but nearly every good deal IS a foreclosure in this market. So I’m taking my clients on foreclosure tours, right?

Wrong. I’m the agent that is writing and submitting offers on those foreclosures while the other company’s tour bus is out driving around a group of people; some serious about buying, some not. By the time the bus arrives back at the broker’s office at 3 p.m., full of excited buyers ready to sit down with the agent to talk about writing an offer, I’ve probably already written and submitted my client’s offer before the bank opened—and that house was gone before anyone on that bus had time to mull it over. I’ve learned that in a competitive market I must excel at getting offers submitted and accepted.

My Top10 identifies the hottest deals in the valley. Once a property is posted on my Top 10, it generally sells within days—as opposed to many months, like most of the homes listed in Las Vegas. So my team and I are working at full speed to help my clients build their investment portfolios. We are working 10 to 14 hours every day, 7 days a week, finding hot deals, showing homes, writing offers, and then closing those deals. We’re not into dog-and-pony shows or gimmicks. Our energies are focused on bringing our clients the best values, not an afternoon of entertainment.

The best deals in this market are beginning to turn over quickly. If you truly want a good deal, you need to be ready to move quickly when opportunity knocks. If opportunity shows up at your door only to learn you’re riding around town in a tour bus, opportunity is probably going to get lost. Likewise if opportunity shows up and you don't have your prequal letter or proof of funds, prerequisites of submitting an offer on an REO.

For Jerry and his wife, my seek-and-secure, take-no-prisoners guerilla tactics can be intimidating. I love what I do, because I derive a great deal of satisfaction from helping people get what they want. Once in awhile I’m reminded that for some people, a great deal isn’t necessarily about future profit. So while I thrive on a market rife with opportunities—a market that allows me to draw on my creativity and trouble-shooting abilities—I often take on a client that needs more of my time and advice because, deep down, I truly believe that everyone benefits from home ownership.

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