Don't try to do this yourself

After moving in 1968 from Seattle to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue a doctorate, I finally ended up teaching in Pennsylvania, a long, long, long way from Bainbridge Island, where I grew up. For too many years I missed the water, the tides, even the winter rains, and I finally gave up a secure future as a tenured professor to return. It took two more career changes to do it.

After renting a condo, I walked into a real estate office. The agent on call asked what I was looking for. I had done no market research (the Internet was not yet a part of either a buyer's or a Realtor's toolkit), had asked for no referrals, had spoken with no lender--I just knew I wanted a small cabin on the water. When asked what I was able to afford (this is the year 2000), I answered firmly, "No more than $175,000." "Well," the agent said, "that might be difficult."

Difficult? It was impossible! I might as well have tried to buy a share of Boeing for a buck. I finally gave up on doing it myself and starting asking for referrals. A friend put me in touch with Paul and Osa, Prudential Realtors. They were incredibly patient with me. They helped me find my home (not on the water, alas, and more than $175,000, too, but they also referred me to Missy, who helped me with the funding). Their ethics, empathy, and efficiency impressed me so much that two years later I chose real estate as my career. I am grateful and have tried to live up to their standards with every client.

Which is to say that however powerful the Internet, it is only a tool. There is no substitute for trust and experience. Ask your closest friends to refer you to a knowledgeable Realtor.