An expectant couple in Chicago is desperate to find more room before their baby arrives. A short sale becomes the front-runner for their first place, until they discover $30,000 worth of flood damage in the basement. Lisa wants to walk, but Doug thinks they should still buy it. As their baby's due date approaches, they need to resolve their stand-off.
Rebecca is a single professional in Chicago who is determined not to overpay for her first place. She finds a sharp condo, but negotiations stall when the sellers aren't willing to negotiate with her, leaving Rebecca with the dilemma of paying more than she wants or losing the place she wants.
Sylvia and Paul are soon to be wed and have a plan to buy a fixer-upper in Chicago to make all their own. They soon discover that, if they add the cost of improvements to their budget, they can just as easily buy a finished home with many of their dream upgrades. The couple must decide between a home that's ready to rock or ready to reno?
First-time homebuyers Michael and Alicia want a home for the family they hope to soon start. They're looking for a four-bedroom home in the suburbs of Chicago for no more than $400,000. They're very picky and, in the time that it takes them to make their first bid, they lose a lovely home to a quicker buyer. As they resolve to move faster, the next time they go to bid, their realtor has some up-to-the-minute information that helps them name the price.
First-time homebuyers Andy and his girlfriend Lindsey have begun searching for a home in the northern suburbs of Chicago. However, Lindsey isn't totally sure that she wants to buy a house with Andy before they're even engaged. She doesn't know that Andy plans to propose once they're in their new home, and neither of them knows how difficult the process of buying can be.
Lainie and Evan want to buy a condo in uptown Chicago, but their lowball strategy isn't working. They've already lost three condos because they were outbid. When they find a recently reduced three-bedroom condo for $350,000, they offer $300,000 and risk losing yet another place because they won't compromise on price.
Devon and Tyler fell in love with a short sale in the suburbs of Denver, but after bidding on it, they fell into real estate purgatory waiting for a response from the bank. After three months of no news, they bid on a second home. Then, finally, news arrives on both houses at once: the second house that they just bid on went under contract to another buyer, but the bank accepted their bid on the short sale. Just as they think they're sailing toward home ownership, the seller's lien holder holds up closing. A delay could cost Devon and Tyler money that they haven't budgeted, and it puts their locked-in mortgage rate at risk as well.
Meghan and David have saved up $60,000 for a down payment on their first place, and they want a home in Oak Park, Illinois that's perfect for them. They find a condo priced a bit above their budget and hope to negotiate the price down, but their hopes are crushed when a competing offer comes in. Luckily, their savvy realtor has a clever strategy to beat the competition.
Admittedly picky first-time homebuyers Josie and Steve are hunting for a three-bedroom house for under $350,000 in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Determined to get a deal on their purchase, they reject several houses that don't live up to their expectations. When they find one that they like enough to bid on, Josie's brash negotiations push them to the brink of losing the deal. Then, when they're finally under contract, they endure a bit of a scare at inspection.
Bob and Jessica are ready to buy their first place in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, but they're having trouble finding a place that lives up to their rental home. They love their enormous master suite and large kitchen, but they can't afford to buy a comparable home. With their budget of $275,000, everything available is smaller than what they're used to. When a home they liked drops its price, it's within their reach... along with other bidders.
First-time homebuyers in Chicago, spoiled by their luxurious rental, struggle to find a condo that measures up. When Pamela finally finds a condo that she's ready to bid on, she asks Doug to make an offer, sight-unseen. If he hesitates, it could put them back on the house hunting trail.
Kevin and Shannon are pinning their hopes on buying a first home in Manville, New Jersey, between Philadelphia and New York City. With just a handful of houses to choose from, every house that they see that doesn't suit them threatens their dream of homeownership. When they finally find a place they like, they discover that water has accumulated in the basement, a problem they consider overlooking.
First-time homebuyer Jen offers $250,000 on a $279,900 three-bedroom condo in suburban Philadelphia and authorizes her realtor to go up to $260,000 in the negotiation. Despite accepting the contract price of $260,000 that she authorized, Jen decides her realtor didn't get a good enough deal for her and fires her.
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