🚀 go-pugleaf

Thanks to all who provided their insight. I thought I'd post a followup to
summarize some of the responses that came to me privately and weren't
posted to the group. 

Though both of the followups to the group generally had good things to say
about Apple, out of the four that came to me privately, three were horror
stories that encouraged me not to deal with Apple and the fourth was
ambivalent. The negative comments had to do with security deposits not
returned, serious and necessary repairs refused, and simple requests
(install a decent lock on the door, a screen on a window, etc.) denied. I
called the Better Business Bureau as well, and they had similar complaints
on file for Apple.

My own personal experience with Apple was only through Margaret, and I
found her to be completely unhelpful and in fact quite patronizing. She
didn't show up for one appointment we had, then had no answers to most of
the questions we asked her (because "she had forgotten the paperwork in
the office" - three meetings in a row). For some of our questions (like,
who owns this house) she laughed at us and asked why we would need to know
that. It turns out (and she only told us this as we were ready to sign the
application and hand over a deposit) that the house we were interested in
is currently in trust with a bank, since the owner recently died - ie, its
immediate future is uncertain and no repairs were likely because she
didn't think the bank would pay for them. Who knows what other secrets
were yet to be revealed.

We decided to pass on this house, and not to do business with Apple in the
future. It's disappointing to have to pass up the house, because it was a
good fit for us and a decent price, but the impression I got from dealing
with Apple was that it would be more trouble than it was worth. 

Caveat emptor. 

-- Paul

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  Paul Mangiafico                          paulm@scriptorium.lib.duke.edu
  This message is personal and does not in any way represent my employer. 
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