More less than moving experiences

If there's anything more dispiriting than internet house hunting, I can't currently think of it*.

We only need one house, but even casting a net across of what seems like all of south-east Australia we end up with a very short list indeed, and that's before we've been inside any.

As George Bernard Shaw said, there are two great tragedies in life: one is not to have your heart's desire, the other is to have it (a house with a fireplace in a fairly cool climate, or what passes for a fairly cool climate hereabouts; settling snow is optional although desirable - but unlikely).

Or is it about eating cake and having it? (Which I have never really understood: what's the point of having an uneatable cake?)

* well I can, but it's all a matter of context.