Obstacles to Buying a Home!

Recent surveys have shown that more Americans have a thirst for buying real estate, with home affordability at record highs and mortgage rates at record lows. In fact, real estate buyer agents report a 59 percent increase in buyer inquiries this year compared to last year, according to a recent survey conducted by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council.

So what’s preventing some buyers from making it all the way to the closing table?

REBAC surveyed its buyer agent members to determine the top issues preventing home buyers in their local markets from completing a home purchase. The top three obstacles identified in its 2012 survey are:

1. Economic insecurity


2. Difficulties in obtaining financing


3. Problems selling current home

The number of home buyers citing difficulties obtaining financing has fallen markedly in the last few years. In 2011, 65 percent of home buyers cited this as a big hurdle to purchasing, and 61 percent cited it in 2010. This year that number has dropped to 49 percent, as economic insecurity overtakes it in having the biggest effect on stalling home sales, according to the survey.

In 2011, the top three issues cited by buyers were difficulties obtaining financing, problems selling a current home, and holding out for lower prices, according to the survey.