Words of Encouragement

Running towards the finish line, this blog post comes as the 200th, a point that seemed so far away when I hit 100 and even farther when I started writing here. As medical school comes to an end, it seems there are many things to celebrate among board exams, graduation, residency placement, friendship and family.

Fatherly Thoughts

Like a cheer from the sidelines, my father recently wrote me:

I am reminded that you are at a point in your career akin to that moment when a roller coaster crests on its ponderous first climb -- a tipping point with amazing views; where the 360 degree view is the best and breathtaking. For once, maybe only once, you find yourself at a vista point looking behind you (if you have that clarity of mind and the inclination), but especially checking out with breathless heart-pounding anticipation what's about to come. Stretched before you is a winding and precarious-looking path. You can't see it all or how it resolves itself, but you comfort yourself knowing that people survive it every day.

It's a rare defining moment where the natural course of gravity grabs the baton from a methodical and clacking power that lifts you ponderously. Gradual. Ploddingly precise. Unaffected in its destiny, but tension-inducing nonetheless. Then, in the next heartbeat, it happens. Kinetic energy takes over with free abandon with its all too familiar "here we gooooooo" careening dive. You're on a course zooming into the still-unknown hope, happiness and fulfillment on a ride that is sure to thrill and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Buckle up. Be proud. Take in the fleeting moments. Don't forget to breathe. Don't forget to cheer. Don't ever doubt that you are on the right track. And keep coming back for more of what thrills you.

It's interesting to explore the extent of the memories of your program and the interviews. For me the beginning of it all when you were young and had an eye on a frog. Heck! The entire run of you growing up and becoming Dr. Batt.

Thanks for being there for me and the family, for being the person you are and especially for the hundreds and even thousands of people who you will uplift, comfort and heal in the future.
 
Thank you, Dad.

Question of the Week

A 54 year old male was hospitalized for a pneumonia and placed on broad-spectrum antibiotics for 14 days. Subsequently, he developed diarrhea, fever, and crampy abdominal pain. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Diverticulitis
B. Colon cancer
C. Melanosis coli
D. Pseudomembranous colitis
E. Familial polyposis syndrome

Answer & Explanation

Keep On Keeping On

Just when I finish my last audition rotation and get ready for a supposed month of vacation, I realize that interviews are still in full swing. With only a couple days of down time at home, I will soon be preparing for my next adventure on the east coast. All this travel, preparation and match anxiety has me worn out.

Performance Exhaustion

Working in the spotlight for months on end with few days in between shifts and plenty of loose ends on those days off, the moments of relaxation are nice to come by. I feel like everything is just move, move, move until there is no more energy to move. The alarm goes off, back to work, hit the road and repeat. I remember well the warnings last year's seniors gave about becoming exhausted throughout the interview season. Experiencing the long hours of peak performance and never knowing who is watching, I feel the fatigue setting in just as foretold. I can only hope that my efforts thus far and in the coming weeks will pay off come match day in mid February.

The excitement of traveling and visiting new cities is great, though it's equally rivaled by feelings of inadequacy and trepidation. I have met wonderful people in all these places, learned a great deal about the world of emergency medicine and thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring potential residencies. It's been a mixed bag of vacationing and working where the lines cross from time to time blurring the extremes of either. I really enjoy not knowing what is next or how things will turn out. It keeps an element of surprise around long enough to make things exciting. But all things being told, I am starting to realize a sleep deprivation that resembles those long days in class followed by nights of endless study, something I thought would only be a memory of the first years in medical school. In reality it is a lifestyle associated with this profession as I am quickly learning.

Question of the Week

Now that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, when do you actually become a doctor?

Answer & Wishful Thinking

Special Occasions

Some 2,500 miles away, my grandparents will be getting up in a few hours to go about their daily activities including opening their email and finding this delivered to their inbox. They just celebrated a wedding anniversary and today is Grandma's birthday. I want to dedicate this post to them as they have been so supportive throughout the years and especially during medical school.

Grandparents

The first chapter of my career in medicine started on their basement stairs when I was just a child. As the story goes, I am almost done with another chapter in this never ending book. In days, I will be taking another board exam and in weeks I will be starting interviews for residency. Like their significant milestone anniversaries, I am trudging past a few of my own, making small advancements that bring me steps closer to a goal I've had for so long. My grandparents have been there every step of the way, cheering me on, following my progress and feeding the cereal craved fiend inside. If I ever needed something, they were the first to offer a helping hand and always graciously generous when meeting those needs. It's too bad they are already taken, because I think everybody could benefit from the best grandparents in the world.

Through retrospective analysis, I have come to realize one of my weaknesses over the years. In short I have become a "yes" man. When a person requests my services, I have the hardest time turning them away and do what I can to provide for their need. Now I think I know where that comes from. So, Grandma and Grandpa, I want to thank you for all your support, for giving selflessly to see me succeed and for having the best cereal and treat stash I could ever imagine. You two are fantastic and I love you for who you have been in my life and the lives of others. Thank you for your examples of what genuinely caring people can do in this world. I hope you had a wonderful wedding anniversary and Grandma, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you both and thank you for being such an integral part of who and where I am.

Question of the Week

A medical student writes a blog about his fantastic grandparents who are celebrating some incredible moments in life. Which of the following is true about this dedicated, hard working couple?

A. They are celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary
B. Crossword puzzles are no match for them
C. They are the best grandparents ever
D. They still know how to have a good time
E. All of the above

Answer & Explanation

Being Prepared

While sitting at my desk peacefully studying for the upcoming board exam, I heard the rubber of tires sliding across pavement punctuated by an unmistakable thud. Someone hit something and it was right outside my door. I jumped into action having no idea what I would find, and relying on the limited medical training I already had. 

Responding Empty-Handed but Full-Headed

It didn't take long to realize that the young man driving was distraught by the apologies he was spewing at the man who lay on the ground in pain and shock. To make things worse, the man's dog was only feet away showing no signs of life. With no traffic around, I made my way to the middle of the intersection as a first responder to assess the situation. Two patients: both alive, one clearly injured and the other in a state of hysteria. The police arrived shortly thereafter to control traffic, call for medics and calm the driver. My training took over and after a quick introduction to the injured man I began a rapid trauma assessment looking for injuries from head to toe. Once it was determined that there were no obvious life threats, I focused on those things that he could identify as bothersome. With no equipment to dress his wounds, I started taking a medical history to keep his mind off of the loss of his dog and to provide the medical crew when they arrived. It was sad to see the aftermath of an unintended event and I can only imagine how it will change their lives forever.

Moments such as this benefit from the "what if" game I have played so often. Never knowing when I will have to use my training keeps me in a constant state of preparedness. It's an awful thing when people become injured or ill, but knowing how to help in that time of need is a comforting feeling. A feeling that I would rather have than that of helplessness when it matters most. I will likely never hear from the individuals involved in this particular incident, but the satisfaction of being prepared was fulfilling enough to know that I am slowly learning that which I need to and understanding how to apply it in practical situations. It was another affirmation that my pursuit of emergency medicine is not in vain.

Question of the Week

All of the following are surgical emergencies EXCEPT:

A. A tense swollen foot that was run over by a car. There are no fractures but the patient is in severe pain and has pain with passive toe extension.
B. A tibia fracture with a small pinhole in the skin over the fracture site that drains blood containing fat droplets.
C. A knee dislocation with no fractures, but a cold pulseless foot.
D. A supracondylar humerus fracture in a ten-year-old with decreased sensation in the median nerve distribution.
E. A distal radius fracture in a five-year-old with obvious visual deformity and intra-articular displacement.

Answer & Explanation

Medical School Family

Time management is definitely an issue in medical school. Finding a balance between the books, upcoming tests and family has been more of a challenge as time goes on. Last week, one reader asked how it all comes together on the family front. Rather than imply that I know exactly how it is, I asked my wonderful wife to share her thoughts.

Life as a Medical Student['s Wife]

Without blinking an eye I'll say it's tough.  Worth it?  Of course.  Before this experience, I remember talking to a friend whose husband had just finished dental school.  She said, "I proudly wear my wife's badge for having gone through that experience."  I laughed in ignorance.  Now familiar with the battles waged through this medical school experience, I fully support her honorary wife's badge.  While Josh and I have chosen not to have children in school, (heaven help those courageous couples who do have kids) there are plenty of battles we endure.  The two struggles that seem most prominent for me this year are time/patience and emotional connection.

Last year I wrote about adjusting to the first year. This year has been most trying on my patience and I've felt like my life has had to take a backseat to his career. I've been offered many opportunities to advance in my career which I've had to turn down due to his current position and our location. I've been supporting Josh from day one of our marriage. I take that back...after our amazing honeymoon in Paris and Eastern France, I've been the sole provider. This year we will celebrate our fourth anniversary. During these four years I've worked full time as a graphic designer, part time as a yoga instructor, freelance designer, painter, letterpress designer/printer, photographer and figure skater- simultaneously. Even with all of that, Josh manages to stay busier than I and buried in books for longer hours than I work. That means when there is down time I also feel obligated to take care of everyday chores. Usually, this is what Josh and I fight about - the chores - when we're both exhausted. I think we once argued for 30 minutes about our pantry door being closed vs open until we realized the absurdity of the situation. 

This year I've felt more distance between us also.  Because of our clashing time schedules, it's difficult to connect. Last year I embraced every moment of time he had available and dropped whatever I was doing to have some time with him. My responsibilities this year are more demanding and I can't always do that. That also may have been a bad habit I enabled Josh to expect. It is difficult to feel emotionally detached due to our schedules, but even more demanding to feel compelled to switch the emotions on whenever it's convenient. In the question posted last week on the blog, the fear of affairs during long hours of study after school was addressed. Josh's study partners are two Mormon boys, so it hasn't been a direct fear I've had to face, but it would be if he were studying with the opposite sex. We've learned to put each other on our daily lists of things to do. It's important to make some sort of connection in whatever time you share, to keep the pilot light on. We recently watched a NOVA documentary called "Doctors' Diaries" that followed the lives of seven medical students through medical school. It addressed the reality of divorce, the difficulty of relationships through school and the experienced perspective of the doctors after school. I would recommend watching their stories and being honest and real about what your unique relationship requires to stay healthy.

Thank you for your thoughts Willow. I agree that this has been a trying process with moments of joy. One of the most important things I learned before coming to school was from a doctor friend. He said that as a student we can set our own schedule and if we want our family to be a priority then choose it to be such. It is crucial to work with groups, patients and other classmates, but most importantly to know that our families are standing behind us. If it were not for my wife, I would not be where I am today. Thank you for your support and encouragement, you certainly deserve a part of my degree.


Board Prep Question of the Week

You went to visit your friend from college who recently had a baby. She named him Johnny. As the mother was gently letting you hold Johnny, he appeared really anxious and started crying once you reached to hold him. Johnny's age is most likely to be:

A. 2 months
B. 3 months
C. 5 months
D. 7 months
E. 4 years

Answer & Explanation

Tax Time

Just when things start to mellow out, I can feel Uncle Sam reaching deep into my already emptied pockets. It's that time of year again when W-2 forms show up in the mailbox, numbers get crunched, and taxes get paid.

Tax

Considering all the things that taxes are used for I guess they aren't too terrible, but they certainly don't help my situation financially as a student in plenty of debt. Once all the government documents arrive and get filed we get to file even more as students.

It wouldn't be possible to pay for school without a little help from the government. Therefore, completing the FAFSA and other scholarship opportunities permits my education to continue. Considering some of the tax breaks, the process a little more bearable (thank you new house). I certainly don't mind being able to file taxes for free.

Expenses

As the numbers become quite important, I thought a running total of expenses for Touro University Nevada's College of Osteopathic Medicine would be appropriate.

• Tuition - Roughly $37,000
  
• Books - $1000.45 (Used and new)
  
• Equipment - $1,550.65 (Laptop, lab coat and diagnostic tools)
  
• Clubs - $40
  
• Extra - $202.29 (Software, vaccines, etc)

Obviously these will vary from year to year and student to student, but it is in the right ballpark. Moving, housing and food expenses have not been included. With Valentine's Day around the corner, you can help curb some of these costs and get some fantastic deals, consider some of these great gift ideas.

Clinical Corner

Epistaxis (Nose bleed)

Research says that about 90% of nose bleeds occur as a result of damage to Kiesselbach's area. It is found in the front part of the nose and has a rich blood supply. The predominant reoccurring trauma is caused by fingers that are doing too much scratching. A smaller percentage comes from the back of the nose that cannot be reached by fingers which often requires medical help. Stopping a nose bleed may take time, and is good knowledge to have if you ever need it.

Upon Further Examination

To fully investigate all aspects of my experience, I'd like to welcome my wife as a guest blogger for this week's post. Consideration of those friends and family members who are affected by my decision to attend medical school is important - especially since I'm married.

Willow

Thanks for the invitation, Josh. Here's my two cents on, Life as a Medical Student's Wife:

I was fortunate Josh knew he wanted to pursue medical school when I met him six years ago. Witnessing the satisfaction he received from previous involvement in the field has been crucial in helping me to be continually encouraging throughout the constant requirements and expectations that school demands. Although I'm not the one sitting in front of a book every night trying to soak in endless pages of information, medical school for me has been equally demanding of my time- and lack of time- with my husband. It has been crucial that I involve myself in my own career, community and personal interests as diligently as he is involved with school. Without my own schedule, having a husband in medical school would never work for me.

Moving to a new location, regardless of the field of study you are entering, always integrates a period of transition. Fortunately my career moved with me, so I did not have to find a new job, but socially it has been difficult to find women in the Las Vegas area who are not solely interested in clubbing on the strip, shopping or eating out for entertainment. Since I work from home as a designer for a company out of state, the ability to connect with women in the work field is difficult. So, I started teaching yoga at a gym and have found many interesting people from all walks of life congregate for fitness. Having an additional social outlet outside of my marriage has been integral in keeping my personal sanity during medical school.

In my Utopian ideals, I believe you should connect with your spouse on a daily basis. Early in our marriage I read it was important to have at least 20 minutes alone everyday with your spouse without interruption in order to maintain a healthy relationship. That usually happened. Since medical school, I have learned to be flexible regarding how, when, and where that connection happens. All the wives I've talked to dread block weeks- I am lucky if I get five minutes of undivided attention. I'm also left doing all of the "chores" on my own, and suddenly I realize just how often Josh really does the dishes. The school let us know up front that the schedule would be demanding, and our relationship has had to adjust to those demands. Having that forewarning has helped us keep the demands in perspective and adjust our needs appropriately. Sometimes this happens more easily than others.

Thanks for sharing Willow, you have been extremely supportive and flexible. To see what she has been up to lately, check out her Fresh Squeeze.

Clinical Corner

Tools of the Trade

Learning clinical skills requires knowing how to use the tools at our disposal. Diagnostic sets that include an otoscope and ophthalmoscope come in many shapes, brands, and styles. Welch-Allyn tends to hold the gold standard in this arena and rightfully so. They guarantee their products to students as long as they are in medical school or residency. With that, the prices don't seem so bad.

Although my wife is greatly supportive of my endeavors, she still has a hard time swallowing how this small package of tools can be so costly. Thanks for sitting patiently as I used my new equipment to practice my exams, did I mention how great your eardrums look?

Office Space

The den of a medical student, where learning is bursting at the seams. There are no skeletons in the closet and plenty of books to go around.

The Office

I am learning to spend the greater part of my home-life in the company of Mr. Bones. The office was on the priority list for completion from the day we moved in. Having the right place to study at home or on the road makes a big difference.

I chose to surround myself with anatomical anomalies which have proven very useful. Gifts from my childhood now line the shelves and fill the room with study aids or tools of the trade. Imagining the structural layout of the human body is just not the same as handling a 3-dimensional model or the real thing. But cadavers tend to carry a rather unpleasant odor that is better left at school.

Study environment has a lot to do with the success achieved. Productivity increases when the setting is just right. Some things to consider:

• Temperature - Warm temperatures can lead to drowsiness
• Comfort - Posture and seating, if poor, will reduce attention as the pain worsens
• Nutrition - Decrease sugary/fatty foods and caffeinated beverages
  
• Breaks - Study for an hour or two and then take a break to get a snack, shoot hoops, or get some fresh air - it's important to get up and move around at least a little
• Groups - Input from others can be extremely beneficial, not to mention it is easier to stay on task when multiple people are sharing valuable time
  

Exam Week

This weekend has proven a respite from the stress of continual studying. We finished our first week of block exams and are quickly moving forward to the second. The great news is that I passed and will now be able to sleep better at night. One exam each day led to some really long evenings of study. It was certainly not the most difficult obstacle in my life, but being the first set of exams made it an uneasy experience.

With our last exam finished, the weekend was open for a little taste of freedom before starting the new material. Some found there ways to the mountains, others to the lake, and me, well I put up lights. I feel like that was my right of passage into manhood, holding so many electrical wires in my hand at once. Just don't laugh when I tell you the power was turned off first.

Rationed Time

The long days that never seem to end are certainly anticipated experiences. Only in the beginning of the whole process, I am learning to ration my time to the many tasks that demand my attention.

New Home

We finally closed on our new home and moved in last week (hence the missed post). It took our mortgage broker a long time to finalize the transactions and was more than a headache with a new problem or delay every day. Being first time home buyers has been quite the hassle and I know many medical students wrestle with the decision to become home buyers or simply rent.

In making our decision we had learned that renting a unit in Las Vegas would cost nearly the same as a mortgage. Our struggle was mostly with the mortgage lenders being flexible once we found the house we wanted. We waited until the very last minute before making the deal official.

All I can say is that if you are entertaining the thought of home buying, start well before matriculating. We ended up staying with family for almost a month. It was great to spend time with them, and we will forever be grateful for their hospitality. We just hate to have out-stayed our welcome. Renting sure sounded tempting on occasion, but our new home was worth the effort.

Student Loan

Reimbursement for the expenses of medical school cannot come too soon. With all the costs of living increasing and becoming more abundant, staying financially afloat is a rather fancy dance. I can come up with a lengthy list of debts, but if you are reading this you could name them just as well.

My financial institution is finally funding my tuition and reimbursement checks. It is a huge relief to know we will be able to buy groceries next month and have a roof over our heads. Visit the past post for more student loan info.

Exams

I knew medical school would move quick, but I had no idea we would cover an entire book in less than a couple months. Midterms were only one month in and next week will be our first week of exams. "Block week" as they call it, occurs three times a semester, testing our memory and endurance skills. With 24 credits this semester, I should start having nightmares any night now.

Somehow I managed to make it through my first couple tests despite the late...late nights of studying. This method is not recommended for two reasons: 1)Taking a test while fatigued makes information recall ineffective and 2)It's bad for your physical health. Of course I would like to have performed better, but the information was spilling out of my head by the time I took the test. I think I need to reformat my cerebral hard drive and free up a little space.

Student Organizations

I have been blown away and slightly annoyed by all the organizations vying for my money. Who knew there were so many student medical associations? Each one asks for membership money but none really have a significant impact that seems evident. The benefits they have expressed usually include free meals, discount suture clinics, and the ever popular screen printed tee-shirt.

I may be new to this medical school thing, but I'm not an idiot. My intention is to pass and earn a degree. If that means I cannot join an organization my first week of school, please support me in that decision. Perhaps down the road I will share a portion of my student loan with you so I can say I belong to your club. Maybe in the meantime you could come up with better reasons than a free lunch to be a member of your organization.

New House

So the house may not be new, but it will be new to us. After a long, grueling month of wondering where we will live once in Nevada, we finally know. We had to shop online and have family visit the home before we decided to make an offer. When we did, the days just seemed to drag on waiting to hear if it had been accepted. Normally, it is a rather quick process, but we were in the market for a foreclosed home owned by the bank. They are not the quickest people when it comes to making a sale, but if the money tickles their fancy, your chances seem to be better (I can't imagine why).

Rent or Buy

After two weeks of waiting and finally deciding that our offer had been rejected, we started to look at other options including a dreadful return to rental units. Fortunately, before all hope was lost, we heard back from our buying agent that the selling agent was fired. As the French would say, 'tant pis' (too bad), but we were grateful it was that and not that our offer was rejected. Another selling agent stepped in and offers were re-accepted. Our agent helped us choose a strong offer and we submitted a second with toes and fingers crossed this time.

The next day we heard back from our agent with some of the best news we have heard in a while. Our offer was accepted among all that were submitted! We finally made it to the 'first time home buyers club' and haven't looked back since.

Now it is a matter of getting through the hoops of paperwork, escrow, home loan, earnest money, insurance, and whatever else comes with the news. We are extremely excited to be on our way to owning our own turf, carpet, walls, driveway, and stone backyard. Well, the stones in the backyard are not the most exciting part, but we are learning to like whatever comes with the house.

Summer Fun

Our dilemma is in our enthusiasm to leave Utah. Sure our families want us to stay nearby, but we have seen enough and want to establish a home of our own in a place that does not have the letters 'U' and 'T' anywhere in the mailing address.

As a result, we have enjoyed (probably too much) the last months of our stay in Rental Kingdom. Dishes, laundry, groceries, cleaning all go undone while we find more entertaining excuses to keep us occupied. We get around to the mess or task when the cupboards or dresser are empty. The lack of air conditioning doesn't seem to help much as we would rather not move from the whole in the couch more than once because we might drowned in our own sweat.

When we aren't stuck in our sauna of an apartment we like to get out for ice cream, cold drinks or a movie in an air conditioned theater. If we feel a little more daring we go out for walks or find a trail to somewhere fun. It might still be in the heat, but at least we can get some Vitamin D while we are out and about cavorting in the sun.

Move-In

We were hoping to be able to move-in a couple weeks before school started so that we would have some time to get settled in our new environment. It seems that will be delayed a little longer than we would have liked. If all goes well, we can expect to be moving in the first or second week of August. Just a note for the future to plan well in advance so this doesn't happen again. For now we are seeing three walls and a front door made out of storage unit steel. Hopefully it will not last for long so we can be in our new home soon.

Housing

Finding housing can be one of the most exciting and stressful experiences of the pre-matriculated medical student. While obtaining all the necessary documentation, supplies, and loans it is crucial not forget that you have to live somewhere. I was actually surprised to learn that my wife and I could afford more than a one bedroom home from Monopoly.

Studies have shown that individuals who buy a home tend to have more money saved than those who continue to rent. In our case we had to choose between paying $1200 for rent every month or paying a mortgage of $900-1100. Obviously the former choice would be throwing money to the wind whereas the later would ultimately build equity in our name. The decision was not hard to make as you could imagine. With that in mind, this blog will concentrate more on the purchase of a new home rather than renting a unit.

Home Loan
Many of us who are entering medical school have never purchased a home and likely do not have the money to afford paying cash for one. Currently, we are in a 'buyers' market which means it is easier and cheaper for buyers to get a home. Certainly my wife and I would love to have a lavish home with furnishings and the like, but neither of us make the kind of money that would be required for this to happen.

Our first task was to find a mortgage lender, someone who could determine how much home we could afford. Through a careful review of our expenses, debts owed, savings, and salary we could determine a monthly mortgage payment that would not be too expensive for our budget. In our case, I do not plan to work as I will be a student. This means one salary will be figured into the equation, which is usually a safe way to avoid foreclosure.

The goal here was to become pre-qualified and pre-approved. Qualified simply means you are eligible for a loan where approved means you have the loan waiting to be used. Sellers prefer an approved buyer as they will not have problems receiving their money. Thus pre-approved buyers have a greater chance of purchasing the home they want sooner than a buyer that is only pre-qualified.

Now that my wife and I knew how much our monthly payments would be, we also knew the price range in homes that we should be seeking. This significantly reduces the amount of homes in our search and allows for a more focused house hunt.

Location
Knowing where your school is located and the neighborhoods in the area helps greatly when looking for a new home. In my case, I would like to be able to live close enough that I could bike to and from school. Not only to economize with rising gas prices, but for the sake of exercise and proximity. If you are fortunate, Google will have your neighborhood on their street view allowing you to see it online before visiting in person.

Safety, climate, populations and other information may be useful as you look for the perfect place to call home. Consider your city's reported values and how they compare to national averages. After all, a purchase suggests you will be there for an extended period and you want to be certain it is the right place for you.

Realtor
Let's face it, you are strapped for time and orientation is just around the corner. Looking for all the available homes would be impossible without a realtor who's job is to help you find the right place. Our lender helped us find a realtor and we have been running ever since.

Know what your home must have so your realtor can narrow down the listings. We chose to have at least three bedrooms and two baths. The garage was not mandatory, but it would be nice for storage purposes. Having the proper hook-ups for a washer and dryer were the other must as the coin laundry gets really expensive. Other things to consider would be cabinetry, appliances, basement, landscaping, backyard and remodeled features.

Walk Through
Since you will be eating, sleeping and studying in your new home, you had better like it. Take time to actually walk through the home yourself or have someone you know do it in your place. If you are out of town, the realtor could take pictures of the home and email them for your approval.

We drove to Las Vegas and stayed with family over Memorial Day weekend. Our realtor sought out homes to visit and we spent a couple days looking at various locations, properties and options (condominiums and houses). This visit was valuable as we could see the homes and their respective neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the real estate market is moving fast and the homes we tried to obtain were already sold by the end of the weekend. This only emphasizes the need to start early.

Many of the homes on the market today are repossessed by banks as foreclosures. The savings can be extremely valuable. In fact, the only homes that we visited were foreclosed as they were in good condition, newer models, and most importantly in our price range. For example the home we are currently looking to buy has been reduced in price by more than $100,000 in less than three years!

Buying Your New Home
So you have finally found the home you like. Your realtor and lender will do most of the difficult paperwork and organizing your offers to the seller. Once accepted they work out the details necessary to close in a timely manner and you make your move into your new home.

Any day now we will be hearing back from the bank as to whether our offer was accepted. It is stressful not knowing if we need to keep looking for other homes or if we can start planning our move in its entirety. In the meantime, wish us luck and happy hunting!