Patience has value, but only when it is intentional.
If you are thinking about waiting because you hope the market will become easier, I would not treat delay as a strategy by itself. Lake Elsinore, CA still showed 2.37 months of supply recently, so I would base your timing on readiness more than wishful thinking.
A typical sold price was $580,000 last month, and recent offers closed at about 99.6% of asking. A typical sale timeline stretched to 48 days. I see that as a market where there is some room to evaluate choices, but not enough softness to assume better deals are automatically around the corner.
For a buyer, the useful question is not simply whether to wait. It is whether waiting improves your position. In Lake Elsinore, CA, if your financing is solid and your target price range is realistic, delay can cost more than it saves because serious homes are still commanding close-to-ask results. If you are not ready, waiting is wise. If you are ready, I would not postpone just to avoid making a decision.
Decide first whether your budget, down payment, and monthly comfort level are truly settled. Tour only the homes that fit that framework. Do not outsource your timing to fear. I would also keep your search narrow enough that you can recognize the right home quickly when it shows up.
