Almost four years ago, we decided that it was time to move out of our first home and look for something that fit our growing family better. We started looking for a home and realized quickly that the market that we were looking in was quite different than the market that we bought our first home in 10 years prior.
We purchased our short sale home 6 months after putting an offer in {there was nothing short about the process!} and now three years later, I have a heard a myriad of comments that have finally motivated me to write a few tips for things to NOT say to people who buy a short sale or foreclosure.
Don't ask how much they paid!
I don't know what it is, but when people hear you bought a short sale or foreclosure, they automatically think it's their business to ask how much you paid for the house. It's rude! And frankly, none of your business!
Home sales are public information and if you must, google the address if you are that curious to see what your friend or neighbor paid for their house.
That said, it's not just friends and neighbors asking. I've had a refrigerator repair man ask me how much we paid for our home and a parent of one of my son's friends ask when they were dropping their kid off.
Don't tell them that they got such a good deal that...
I've left this open ended because this ends several different ways.
While talking with some neighbors this summer about a broken microwave, we were told that we couldn't complain about things breaking in our home because we got such a good deal on our house. Why yes, we paid far less than you did for your home BUT it is still a complete inconvenience when things break and need repaired. It's human nature to want to commiserate with people who are in your same boat, you think that you can do that with people who live two doors down and will understand or relate because they have the very same home repair problem.
The second ending to the above response in our experience has been, that we got such a good deal on our house that we have brought the market value of the neighborhood down. We heard this statement before we even signed any papers. The very first words out of our neighbors mouth when he met us were "I know how much you paid for your house." Well hello to you too!
The under current of his statement was that he was questioning whether or not we were going to bring the whole neighborhood down since we obviously weren't invested in the neighborhood financially the way that the rest of the homeowners were. We have yet to park a non working car on blocks in the front yard, nor have we dragged a well used sofa out to the front lawn just because we were looking for a comfortable place to smoke our afternoon cigarette. But never say never. I hear toilet planters are all the rage this year!
I would love to hear it.
4 comments
We bought our home as a foreclosure and both my husband and I have gotten the "how much was your house?" question a lot but I never though it as rude. I don't mind sharing our price. It's good to know though that others don't feel the same way. :)
I just think people totally overreact to talking about money. It's just money. I also think this goes both ways. Who cares what you paid and also who cares if someone asks?
When people approach you with the "you've brought down the value of the neighborhood" argument, counter with: "Actually, we believe we are going to improve the value of the neighborhood. Yes, we bought the house for far less than what others may have, but I can promise you home values will be higher with a loving family taking great care of the home as opposed to a vacant home with no landscaping being done and attracting potential vandals. I understand we may have got a value, but believe me, we're excited to be in the neighborhood and we are looking forward to helping your home's value by having our home be a jewel in the neighborhood, not the eye sore it's been."
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