TGHH: Bye, Bye Berenice

We get a call from our agent about Berenice. There is definite movement with the bank on this property but unfortunately, the listing agent is behaving oddly. He had originally told us we were the only offer that was "at the bank". This is very important in short sale situations. The bank only sees what the agent sends them. Then he said he never sent in our offer to the bank. There was now another, higher, offer and that was the one going to the bank. We increase our offer above that one but don't hear back. Our agent finally gets him on the phone and he says that the other buyers increased their offer above ours and the bank has accepted. He never gave us a chance to bid again. We really love that house and are sad. We ask our agent if we can increase our offer anyway to meet the other buyers' number and see what happens. She says we can but doesn't feel good about it. So we become the backup offer and break up with our first house crush.