Lost in the bustling sales hall, I dream about having a relative or friend in real estate sector who could bypass the process for me.

Aunt Zhu, a friend of my mom whose kid also works in Beijing, came with 1 million yuan earlier this year to look at apartments. As she put it, "Buying a house in Beijing is the least dignified process in the world."

As someone born and raised in a small city, she never expected that 1 million yuan would only put her in a price range for small apartments built decades ago, with no place even for a washing machine.

Aunt Zhu hasn't given up, and she has returned home trying to accumulate more money.

The fathers and mothers of the one-child generation have become classic "helicopter parents," always hovering around their kids to try and guide their agenda.

I don't want to exploit my parents, but they're not likely to offer me a choice.

Every piece of news concerning Beijing's real estate market pulls my parents' heartstrings nearly 1,000 kilometers away. It's sad that they are ready to offer me their lifetime savings in the hope of me finding a comfortable house when the chances of this are so scanty. I don't want to disappoint my parents by making a hasty and poor purchase, but the delay just makes them more nervous.

Recently, in the wake of a new round of State regulations, new apartments under construction appear to be less expensive than second-hand ones.

Therefore, I am still waiting.

There's little news to give my parents, but I need to come up with something to relieve their worries. I hope I luck out before the Spring Festival arrives.

The author is a Beijing-based journalist. viewpoint@ globaltimes.com.cn