raptorduck: The possibility of two offers coming in at the same time that you showed interest in a home that has been on the market for 140 days is just about zero. The market is just headed in the wrong direction for this to happen on an expensive home at this time. Many agents are desperate right now because they are so used to doing “little to nothing” for making an above average income…………….now that they are having to actually work, they will resort to stupid sales tactics that are transparent to anyone with half a brain. I’m glad you told them that you weren’t interested anymore……that’s what I would have done.
You’re looking in some great areas and many of the people who posted in response to your query in this thread are pretty knowledgeable about these areas. You can’t go wrong with any of these locations. I am a huge bear at this time and right or wrong, I think that the bottom won’t come until mid 2011 or 2012 and then it will sit on the bottom for a good while. My point is that there is no rush to buy and there is likely to be a good supply of luxury homes for rent as the housing market continues marching downward.
Good luck to you and your family whatever you may choose to do.