Nestor and his wife have been working for months to buy a house listed as being a short sale. They even bought new furniture and kitchen appliances for it in expectation, stowing the items in their garage. They had finally gotten approved and were making moving plans. Then at the last moment, Wells Fargo decided they’d rather not take Nestor’s money and would prefer to foreclose instead.

Nestor writes:

About 7 months ago my wife and I placed an offer on a house that was listed as a short sale. We went back and forth sooo many times with the bank, each transaction taking weeks for them to even look at. We were constantly assured we were “almost there, they just need a few signatures”. We were so sure of it that we purchased furniture, kitchen appliances, and even locked, and lost, mortgage rates.

Finally, last week we get an official letter that we’re approved. Hooray! We celebrate and start making our inspection and moving plans.

Then, today we get a call that the bank foreclosed the house. Just like that.

The past 7 months are completely lost, nothing to show for it except a garage full of stuff we now can’t use. No amount of calling and being transferred to various departments can change this.

That house has now been vacant for over a year and will remain so for the foreseeable future, but not because nobody wanted it – but because Wells Fargo couldn’t get their act together to move the situation forward.

That stinks, but there may have been factors behind the scenes you weren’t aware of. More so than even just buying a house normally, a short sale is a complicated process and a lot can go wrong.

That’s why getting your hopes up and buying the new appliances and furniture may have been a little bit of counting your eggs before they’re hatched. With a short sale, you should bank on it being torture that will probably end fruitlessly, and then be pleasantly surprised if it’s anything better.

But don’t despair, Nestor. Keep close track of the house’s status and maybe you can bid on it when it gets auctioned off on the courthouse steps. You could even end up paying a lower price!

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.