New Housing Boom Mantra: Don't Nickel & Dime

It all seems so quaint now: the casual walk-throughs, the drives to check out the neighborhood, the luxury of sleeping on the largest financial decision you'll likely ever make. Trying to buy a home now feels more like being thrust into the trading pit at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange -- the frenzied bidding, the need for lightning-fast decisions, the packs of sharp-elbowed competitors.