Ed, after you decide where and what you want, look at who the listing agent or the listing office that seems to dominate that micro market. Call them directly, tell them what you want and get your money and loan ready to go. You will then be known as a “buyer in pocket,” and they know what is coming up for sale in the next few weeks. You will get to see it before it hits the mls and if it is what you want, it will go on the mls and be pending in minutes, to you. You can also hook up with another agent in their office, most realty shops have an alpha dog that has the listing hookup and a bunch of helpers, hook up with a helper. Do this for more than one office, but be sure to let them know you do not want to be represented by them if the listing is not from their office and only if you get some advance notice.

This does not work if you hem and haw about things, this only works if you have the money, the fresh loan approval and the gonads to buy something fast, without an inspection or your friends and relatives looking at it, I’m talking about the ability to buy a house in fifteen minutes on the first visit, you should have already done your research and know the neighborhood and floorplans. You want to beat the game, that is how you do it.