You have your eyes on a home that just went up for sale. But you know it’s a competitive market and within a few days of listing, the house is labeled “contingent.” Have you missed your opportunity?

Twenty years ago real estate “love letters,” personal and heartfelt missives written to sellers in an attempt to persuade them to choose a particular buyer, were common. Today? Not so much.

While a home may have been completely affordable with two incomes, ownership may be untenable with just one.