Jessica was looking forward to house shopping in Toronto. She thought of it as a time for her and her husband to decide what they want their future to look like, where to lay down roots.
Now she's feeling frustrated, stressed and demoralized.
This week NEWSTALK 1010 has been bringing you "Real Estate Reality", a series of stories focused on selling, buying and renting homes in the Greater Toronto Area.
"This is not a fun experience," Jessica tells NEWSTALK 1010. "I'm a relatively frugal person and I can't seem to buy anything that will meet our needs so that we don't need to move five years from now and be able to furnish it."
Jessica, who did not want her last named used has seen houses scooped up before the couple even has a chance to get their affairs in order to make an offer. More often, they learn they have been outbid by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We were already stretching our budget because this market is so hot. So we're really in a tight position in terms of trying to find what we're looking for."
She has expanded her hunt to Oshawa and Whitby, hoping to score the three-bedroom, two-bathroom place she's been dreaming of
Jessica's story is hardly unique.