[steven2012]

Good luck getting a buyer to accept a offer with an FHA loan. You have a hard enough time getting them to accept a regular mortgage with 20% down, trying to get someone to accept 3.5% will likely be impossible in this environment.

[michaelmike]

Yeah, I don't know how it is in SF. But in LA, you're competing with multiple cash offers, usually quite a bit over asking price. First time home buyers are pretty much left to the sob story route (that is, writing a letter to the owner and praying).