Some agents get frustrated with buyers who seem clueless about what they need and want in their home. Before you start house-hunting, make a list of your priorities and discuss each item with your agent. Write down the nonnegotiables that you must have and the amenities that you'd like to have, but could forgo if the other minimum requirements were met. When you start touring homes, be as specific and direct as possible in communicating what you like and don't like about each home. They are open-minded.
Agents work harder for imaginative buyers who can see beyond dead landscaping and hideous wallpaper.
The perfect home for you could be hiding behind a decor you can't stand. Ask your agent what it would take to upgrade, remodel or redecorate an unappealing home that happens to be in the right neighborhood and the right price range. They are ready to act fast. Some buyers want to move into their new home within a couple of months. Others won't be ready to start packing for two years.