"The most important thing to most buyers is the financial stability of a neighborhood," says Leisa Frye, a Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers in Roswell, Ga. "Buyers want to make sure their home won't be worth less in the future, so while they are focused on getting a good deal, they are looking for some control over not losing value in the future. They want a discount on already low prices as an insurance against potential declining value."
In Massachusetts, Gary Rogers, broker/owner of Re/Max on the Charles in Waltham, Mass., says buyers don't always find the bargains they look for.
"Lots of buyers expect rock-bottom prices, but there are no steals out there," Rogers says. "Buyers are trying to get superlow prices, but sellers who are already pricing their home at market value are not accepting those kinds of offers."