Appreciation post: How sitting on my hands during a hot market actually worked
Last spring, I was determined to buy a house before rates rose. Every open house was packed with offers flying in same day. I bid on a cute bungalow, but it sold for way over asking. Instead of panicking, I told myself to wait. I kept renting and saving, even though it felt like I was missing out. Come fall, the frenzy slowed and sellers got nervous. I found a similar house listed lower, talked them down, and closed without drama. My tip? In a crazy market, sometimes the smartest thing is to just wait and avoid the hype.