ESSAY

We Put a Bid on a House and I Wrote a Letter

Pleading our case…

And now we wait…

We got approved for a USDA home loan a few months ago. We’ve been through the ups and downs of several “almost” deals. One we canceled our deal within minutes of the due diligence deadline after learning the seller had lied to us about being willing to do repairs.

Turns out, after we paid 475.00 for the inspector, got the list of repairs to be done, the seller wanted us to roll the funding for those repairs into our loan. The seller had told us they would do the repairs. When they received the list of repairs to be done, they said there was no money for repairs for the property (which they already knew but lied to us about). We backed out of the deal at the last few minutes before the 5:00 deadline.

We’ve had properties slip right through our fingers and at our very low budget, there just isn’t much out there for us. We are searching 5 counties.

Today, we put a bid on a property we love even more than the first property we bid on. It is perfect for us. There’s even an oak tree limb just perfect for a swing for our daughter and grandbabies. There’s a creek at the bottom of the property and a row of narrow woods. On the other side is the town greenway for walking and riding bikes, a perfect place for us to go and get some exercise. The street the house is on boasts rows of quiet brick ranch homes.

There’s a nice quiet deck on the back of the house for me to sit and write and watch the birds.

It’s perfect, even with the carpet we need to pull up (carpet in the bathrooms too — who does that??) and the painting we need to do.

We bid and then found out about the 2 other offers on the table.

We raised our bid to our max budget. We are using the money I have saved up (from writing) to buy a riding lawnmower for the new property to offer some money as due diligence to sweeten our offer. But we know going in 11,000 below asking price, it’s a long shot for us to get this property.

So I wrote a letter to the seller.

I didn’t even research how I should write the letter — there was no time! I simply sat down at my computer and utterly poured out my heart to the seller, pleading with them to consider my family and all we have been through — that we need this.

Here’s some advice on letter writing I have since found on Trulia. I think, according to their advice, that I did ok. I introduced myself and my family. I explained some of the things we’ve been through, briefly, just to get to the point of home searching. And I told them a few things that I think are important to my family.

Here are a few of the points I made:

• If we bought this house — it has everything we need and we’d love and care for the property, dearly.
• It has taken us a lifetime fighting through poverty and the past 10 years of hard work to get approved for a home loan.
• My fiance would be the first person in his family to become a home owner.
• This would be the first actual house my 15 year old would live in — real floors and walls!
• This would be the first time we, as a family, would live in a neighborhood we can walk around or ride a bike in, and feel safe.

I don’t know how much impact my heartfelt letter will have, but as I sit here typing, I know we have done all we can. Tonight “they” are getting together to discuss the bids and make a decision. I hope and pray they appreciate knowing the people behind the bid.

And now…we wait…

If you have enjoyed reading about my family’s home buying journey, here is a little more of the story:

When we missed out on the perfect little farmhouse:

At least the farm house inspired this story, curated in fiction:

Also inspired by the farmhouse (denied curation)

Still pending curation, some helpful advice on home buying with grace:

Thank you for reading. Christina M. Ward is a productivity and well-living blogger, a poet, and has been accused of being a bit too much rainbows and unicorns and faeries. She’s also been accused of being too serious. She is actually both. You can follow her here: on social media.