Not all good things come to those that wait, but some do.

55 North Street, custom built for its owners back in 2003 (or thereabouts), is now asking $4.8 million, down from its June, 2017 price of $5.750. It's a pretty special house, and though it's on a back lot, on this section of lower North Street, that can be a good thing.

While it's certainly true that some houses, especially in our hotter neighborhoods, are so well priced and demand so high that buyers should probably listen to their agent and make a quick bid (if they trust that agent to know her business — not all do), my general advice is that there's always another bus coming around the corner. Unless you absolutely love a particular house, and must have it, you might want to let a listing mellow for a while and see what the market reaction is to that initial price. Like 150 Riverside Avenue, discussed below, you might save a million bucks, or more, and still end up with the house you want.

That assumes, of course, that you have the luxury of time — not everyone does — but patience can be a virtue.