Househunting sucks or alternately titled Buyer's Market my foot

Hubs and I have embarked on the glorious journey that is buying your first home. As a military brat, I know a little bit about househunting or so I thought. I had been looking online for months and there were plenty of places that fit our price range and our area. So we went in bright eyed and bushy tailed, full of hopes that our experience would be different from all our friends. We would find the perfect place and find it easily.

WRONG.

Oh so wrong. When my SIL asked if I had cried yet, I thought she was exaggerating. Surely it couldn't be that bad. Oh it is. Why? Because sure, there are houses on the market but 95% are short sales and apparently no one realizes that a short sale actually benefits the seller by NOT making you go in foreclosure and ruining your credit for years! So people trash places and frankly, apparently a lot of people take pretty crappy care of their houses to begin with. Theresa on Real Housewives of New Jersey said on the show in explanation of why they were building "I just schkeev looking at other peoples houses". I thought she was a princess. I apologize Theresa, I totally get it now. People are gross.

The houses that are acceptable have multiple bidders before I can even call my realtor to look at them. Maybe in some parts of the country the buyer is king, but around DC my friend, that is a joke. I truly believe at this point that if (no, no positive thinking! When!) when we find our house it will proof of a loving God. Divine intervention is my last hope.