[Boomer]

This commentary on the market there is from a buyer's perspective. This thread may be more about sellers but thought this might fit in here.

We visited TV recently to find out if we want to consider buying a home. We did not do the Lifestyle. We rented for a month. That amount of time gave us a decent chance to get to know the territory.

The real estate market is unique. You really should have two agents if you want to buy a resale. I knew that going in. The agent from TV had been recommended, and I found the MLS agent by reading agent bios on the broker's web site. Both women were highly professional.

I really liked both agents, but I did wonder what would have happened had I not liked the VLS agent. Could I have changed? There were a couple of VLS agents that we ran across in open houses that I could not have worked with. But I am sure they were perfect for other clients. Try to do a little homework on agents before you arrive. Prestige Properties had agent bios on their site.

And if you are comfortable with FSBO's look at those, too. Use an attorney.

Another thing that is unique about the market there is that there are no signs in the yards south of 466, except for open houses. They are in the windows but really hard to see sometimes. You can't just drive around and have something catch your eye.

VLS ads dominate The Daily Sun. You have to look a lot harder for the MLS and the FSBO's.

At the time we visited, the reality of the slowing of the market had not quite arrived. The Beverly Ball site did not have the listing of the most recently dropped asking prices.

Make sure you understand the bond and how you want to handle it. Is it worth paying up front? A seller with a paid bond, especially on a newer property, will want to recoup that in the asking price. But should they realistically expect to do that in today's market? You have to decide what a paid bond means to you in your own investment picture. I went in thinking that a paid bond was important to me but came away thinking differently.

AAA has a TV map and TV itself sells a nice map. Get your bearings.

TV is so big and has so many homes for sale that buyers may have a lot of choices now.

Happy Hunting - but be sure to do your homework first.