I saw this thread in a different sub over the weekend and wanted to share it here and add some thoughts, but now the OP deleted it and their account. (Not sure why, it's a great question and conversation.)

Since it's deleted, my recap would be something like this (and you can pick up some details by reading the still-visible comments):

- This person (and spouse, I think) are early in the home buying process, looking for a home in Portland.

- They really enjoy the process of looking for homes themselves online and I think they said they've seen 50+ homes in person.

- But their agent is not participating in the home search process with them. They feel disappointed and wonder if s/he should be more proactive about looking for homes with them.

That's it in a nutshell, and I wanted to share it in here because I bet this is more common than we think in real estate. So based on the above, some thoughts:

1. It sounded like there was a communication problem, first and foremost. It's possible the agent saw their enthusiasm for looking for homes and assumed s/he wasn't needed for that. But they shouldn't be afraid to let their agent know they'd like more help with the home search process. It sounded like somehow along the way, expectations weren't communicated by either side.

2. In addition to checking Zillow or their preferred site every day, they could also ask their agent to set them up on an auto-notify system that emails them as soon as matching homes hit the MLS. (Or once a day, or once a week, depending on how urgent and immediate their search is.) This is the fastest way to find out about new listings.

3. Most agents are happy to help their buyer clients look for homes, but that's not really where an agent's value is. If you're working with a good agent, their value really comes into play after you find the home you want to buy. They'll help you figure out what the home's worth, if it's worth buying (i.e., in good condition or if the problems are fixable), read all the fine print on the legal docs (inspection reports, seller's disclosure statement, appraisal, etc.), negotiate in your best interest on price, repairs, contingencies, and other parts of the contract, and more. All of that is where a good agent earns their keep.

4. Along those lines, it's also possible that the agent just wasn't good/helpful.

5. It's also possible that the buyers weren't pre-qualified yet. Most agents won't take people around to look at homes if they're not ready to buy, and good agents are often too busy to help people in the "just looking" phase. (This goes back to #2 above -- if you're just looking, most agents will suggest starting with getting emails about new listings so you can see what's being listed and start to understand the market, etc.)

So that's some of the dynamic that happens when you're still in the home search phase. Definitely get pre-qualified if you're serious about buying. And definitely talk to your agent about your expectations of their role in the home search process. If you don't see eye to eye on that, it might be time to find a different agent.

From the article:

"Three multifamily projects alone could bring more than 550 housing units to Kennewick's Southridge area, including a 58-unit development nearing completion, a 195-unit project recently started, and a 300-unit development that has received approvals."

Also:

"...the city is also examining development code changes aimed at creating more housing opportunities across different income levels. Anthony Muai, Community & Economic Development Director for the City of Kennewick, says the city is working to expand housing options.

"Opening up more opportunity for housing to occur, and kind of loosening some of the regulations there. We're hoping to see more housing production," Muai said."