It's interesting how the media – an industry that prides itself on presenting breaking news – lags so far behind our industry when it comes to reporting on housing trends. The almost nationwide shortage of homes for sale is one of those trends that they seemed to have missed completely – at a time when we really could have used their help. Big news about rising home prices was good, but there's nothing like the words "seller's market" to get homeowners off the sidelines and into the market.

We are now sitting on a nationwide average of 5.1 months' worth of inventory supply, down from April's number and a little over 10 percent below what we saw one year ago, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. In fact, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says to expect this current inventory to be the peak during 2013, and that about a five-month inventory figure will be the norm for the rest of the year.

Of course, this is all preaching to the choir. It's the real estate agent boots on the ground in markets all over the country that can attest to bidding wars, houses selling for over list price, and clients being outbid by cash buyers.

If you're as frustrated as your clients, let's take a look at some things you can do to help them find a house. Some of these methods include going after homes that aren't in the MLS, giving your clients a breather from the multiple-offer battle.

Old Listing Presentations

Remember all those listing presentations that didn't pan out? In desperate need for homes for her buyers, St. Paul, Minn. agent Teresa Boardman went through her database to find all the listing presentations she had done over the past three years and didn't get the listing. If the home didn't sell with another agent, she contacted them. It's working out well for her. Although her current clients didn't buy the homes, she listed one and had another strong possibility.