In the end, the partnership offered units to all 300 original applicants, and about two hundred others added later, to find 72 qualified buyers.

"We had over 15 qualified buyers and now have a signed contract with a New Jersey company."

The selling broker told him that "there were a number of qualified buyers who were uninhibited by money."

There are few qualified buyers, he said, and they are having trouble obtaining financing.

He presented himself as a stable qualified buyer.

Sellers should ask what the broker will do to assure that only qualified buyers bid.

But it is far from certain that there will be enough willing and qualified buyers for the new homes.

Many more qualified buyers should mean more bids, and I'm willing to wait to see if it turns out that way.

Brokers say loft prices have recently fallen by 5 to 20 percent because of the difficulty in finding qualified buyers.

Below-market-rate mortgages are also available to qualified buyers of these homes.