Buying a house... VENT!

[AuroraBorealis]

First, some background info: I'm 23 (almost 24), I have a master's degree, I love my job as a librarian and I get paid an obscene (to me, at least) amount of money for what I do. I have no more student loans, own my car outright, and have very few bills and I have perfect credit. I've been saving for a house since the day I started my very first job. Wouldn't all of this make me an ideal buyer?

I am in a place where I can buy a house and would rather stop throwing money away on rent. I've spent the last six months looking at townhouses and tiny single-family houses.

I fell in love with a beautiful townhome that was in the perfect location and within walking distance to work. I met the owners, they seemed to really like me and my agent said everything was great.

So, I made an offer on this place and today I found out that I got turned down in favor of a married couple even though my offer was higher than theirs!

The reason given was that the owners felt better selling to a "family" than a single woman. However, this "family" made a lower offer than I did and I also heard they did one of those "no downpayment" mortgage deals. I had a 25% downpayment. This "family" is also single-income, like me. (The wife doesn't work.)

What is the deal with that? Who in their right mind turns down a better offer in favor of no downpayment and a lower offer? Especially in this housing market; Seattle area homes are not cheap!

I feel like I was discriminated against, even though it is within the owners right to choose or reject an offer. My agent was quite suprised as well.

Anyway, just had to vent. It was quite a nasty suprise to me. I'm going to keep looking....

Anybody have any advice or encouragement?

 

[Pin Wizard]

Sorry it didn't work for you. It's probably rare that something like that happens. But I do have friends who sold to a family that came in with a lower bid than someone else. They had their reasons. I guess it really is the seller's choice. Hang in there. You'll find something you like even better!

 

[bicker]

If the discrimination was on any covered basis, then you have a cause of action. Unfortunately, there aren't any laws against discrimination against single people.

 

[dbogen]

I am one of those people that believe that everything happens for a reason, so I guess your dream house is still out there. I don't understand the sellers reasons, maybe there are lots of families already in the development and they felt the couple was a better fit.

Anyway, Congratulations on being where you are in life. You sound like you have a really good head on your sholders. Your house is out there.

Deanna

 

[Mermaid02]

That's just weird. They must have some kind of unnatural attachment to their house. When we have moved we didn't care WHO bought- as long as they had the money.

 

[annegal]

I would go to a mortgage company and get "pre-approved", or find out your credit rate-it simply could be you don't have enough credit history.

 

[golfgal]

There must have been something about their offer that made it more attractive, sooner/later closing date, what ever. It happens.

 

[EthansMom]

Are you preapproved (not just prequalified) for a mortgage? Are you flexible about the closing date?

When we sold one of our homes, we went with a slightly lower offer (had 5 offers) because the couple had all of their preapproval paperwork included in the offer and were flexible about the closing date. The other couple had made a lower offer with a bump clause (to pay $1000 more than any other offer up to a max amount), were nit-picking when they came through the house 3 times (on a house with multiple offers!), and did not include their preapproval paperwork although our agent had requested it.

Don't get too emotional about it. We "lost" the first house we ever put an offer on. Within a month, we found a similar house in a better neighborhood, in better condition, for less money.

Don't forget to include an inspection requirement in your offer!

Good luck!

 

[ceiligh1]

Its not always about money. We sold our last house to someone who rented in the neighborhood. His offer was around 10k less than another offer but he waved inspection as he knew the houses and the issues from living there so long. (this is a planned neighborhood, same builder)
As previous posters said there are other houses out there for you but I do feel your pain. I still visit a house that I wanted but didnt get when we were first looking for a house 5 years ago. I am now very happy we didnt get it but I remember the feeling of not wining that house.

 

[Nancyg56]

I would go to a mortgage company and get "pre-approved", or find out your credit rate-it simply could be you don't have enough credit history.

I would bet that they were concerned about your income and ability to get the mtg. They may have thought that the couple had more income or a better chance of getting approved, and did not want to have the house back on the market.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I was preapproved for a mortgage, not just prequalified. And I had a larger downpayment. I was completely flexible about closing dates, too. All my paperwork is in order and ready to go.

I know discrimination isn't covered on any basis, but the only reason they gave was the "family" thing. It was a single income couple, too, and I feel if that is their only reason, it was a really dumb one. I'm sure they justified it somehow...

Oh well.... I'll keep looking. I'm just sick of renting and roommates! Thanks for the advice and kind words. I'm feeling much better about it today and I do believe everything happens for a reason... there has got to be something better!

 

[lindalinda]

I know it sounds crazy, but it does happen. When I bought my first house as a single woman, I was chosen from a group of several full price offers because I was a single woman. The woman selling the house was single and I think she just kind of empathized with me. So maybe the sellers were a couple who remembered being a young struggling couple looking for a house?

Also, right now I live in a large house, on an acre lot, with 4 board fence and a wonderful rope swing and tree house in the back yard. I seriously dont think I could stand it if this house went to someone without kids!

 

[ckret01]

This might be way out there but maybe they are trying to get a better offer and using that excuse to see if something better comes along.

I have to commend you for being the age you are at having your stuff together financially. Thats fantastic!

 

[pigletz]

My parent's recently sold the house that we grew up in. It's a beautiful house and in a perfect neighborhood for a family. A lot of people were interested in the house but only one made an offer. It was a single man. There was a family that was really interested in the house but didn't make up their minds quick enough (the house was more expensive than they what they were hoping for). I know my parents held out a couple of days to give the family a chance to make an offer because they really wanted the house to go to another family. I guess when you've raised your family in a house you really can't see selling it to someone without kids.

 

[minniecarousel]

Sorry that you didn't get this one - but I'll bet there's a better one out there!

That said, congratulations on being so finacially capable. My sons are both in their mid-20's and are getting tired of paying rent (good thing they love their roommates! = their fiancees!) It'll be a while before they can buy here in the SF Bay Area.

 

[dreamcometrue]

sadly, it is totally up to the sellers. We were in a similar situation. We recently built a house, and decided to not sell our old house, but to rent it out. We had lots of people look at our old house, and there were a few single people that had excellent credit, and also one family with just good credit, they had a letter from their previous landlords stating that they always paid their rent on time. I really wanted to rent to a family with kids. I know this sounds really crazy, but I kept thinking that the house would be "lonely" without kids running around in it! So we went with the family that had 2 children!

I know how awful it is to love a house and then you lose the bid. Before we decided to build our own, I fell in love with this one house, and a bidding war started, it got ridiculously high and we finally had to bow out. It broke my heart, I really wanted that house. I couldn't even look at other houses for almost a month! Then, we toured the model homes of a new community here in town and I fell in love even more with the model of our current house!

 

[Rella Bella]

It's almost unheard of that a seller doesn't take the highest offer -- especially in a west coast market!

I'm sorry this townhouse didn't work out, but maybe karma has earned you an even better one... a pre-approved 20 something with a 25% down payment is also almost unheard of! I bet you find something you like even more! Or maybe the other deal will fall apart and they'll come looking for you!
Hang in there!