Internet realtors can't offer you much advice, each license is per state as rules vary. All I can say is have the home inspected before you talk, it will give you an advantage when you want to cut prices (if there is immediate work that needs to be done).

First time home buyer, and I would like some popular consensus.

The housing 'bubble' is popping in Canada as we speak. US can't be far behind. I'd wait a few months or even a year to buy anything.

We had our pop first, our housing prices are going up again
My house in Morro Bay, California dropped to below $500k but now it's back up to $530k and climbing

In most places it climbs back up at a rate similar to or even lower than the recent years average inflation rate (grand total in last 3 years is roughly 7%). In other places, it's still going down slowly. Only in very few places it goes up noticeably.

Yours went up by 6% or a bit higher. IF we're talking a 6% price climb in the past 3 years from an early 2010 minimum, then your house's "real" inflation-adjusted price either slightly dropped or barely changed. If we're talking longer, it's even worse for you, as total inflation over a longer period is even higher.

The inflation-adjusted average house prices were almost two times higher than they should have been during the peak in 2006.
They dropped massively, to about 35% above where they should have been by 2008. That was the great bubble bursting, but it's not completely deflated yet.
Prices kept slowly going down to just about 20% above where they should have been, to this day.
They need to fall by that much again, and that's assuming the economy gets better - if it goes through another hiccup, they might drop far more than that.

Of course, different areas in the country were affected differently. Those are USA nation-wide averages.

All I can say is have the home inspected before you talk, it will give you an advantage when you want to cut prices (if there is immediate work that needs to be done).

about 1200 to 2000$ per sq meter, thats ridiculous in a country where min wage is 400$ a month

Getting it inspected by a 3rd party (not your estate agent) is good advice anyway, you are going to spending a lot of money so you want the plumbing, electrics, drains and structure checked. Basically everything, getting a survey done on the boundaries and confirmation on liabilities and responsibilities is worthwhile to. Finding out the whole streets sewer system runs under your property and you are responsible for any costs if anyone else has problems can be painful. Any pending planning permissions is something you might want to be aware of too.

Hello all,

First time home buyer, and I would like some popular consensus. I have looked at about 10 homes in person, and scoured through hundreds on line. I have one Id like to make an offer on.
Its listed at 144.9k USD, and its a short sale. What would be an appropriate offer.
Personally, I want to put my "Fck you face" an offer fairly low. Initially i thought about 125, but others have suggested considerably lower, approximately 100. My realtor suggest staying within 5-10% of the asking price.

What should I do.

Ours dropped even as low as 500 euro/sqm (especially for older buildings in less desirable areas) and are still dropping. However, minimum wage is under 200 euro/month (with the average wage at around 370 euro/month).

IMO, not a good time to buy houses.
Prices are holding steady or only slightly increasing, noticeably less than the inflation rate.
I would keep renting for another 4 years or so.
My gut tells me house prices will resume dropping (and most likely at a rapid rate) before then.
Lowball an offer at least 10% below similar properties in the area "for a limited time", and just wait it out, then if they accept it tell them the offer expired and offer even less.
And if you do buy it, be prepared to sell it in 2 years or so just as prices start dropping again.

Of course, my gut could be wrong.

Provided they have the ability to buy, 4 years at $1000 a month is $48000, assuming they are paying $1000/ month. Myself, the house I live in is $1250, and doesn't include power or gas, which adds up to another $450 every 2 months. It's also rather poor quality construction, and one has to wonder who bribed the inspectors to get it passed all the way through final.

Given that, it might be worth considering that housing prices are not likely to drop ~20% in 4 years. You might find something nicer in that time though, or even find that you have more to spend, or maybe, that you didn't have the money to spend. Life = unpredictable; we just like to think it so. I've learned the hard way, it is not.