A homebuyer said she selected a new construction house after seeing a light blue-gray version with darker accents on Zillow and in model home renderings, only to arrive at a dark brown exterior she strongly disliked. Sarah Carter, who posts on TikTok as @sarahstein1989, described the situation in a series of videos that detailed her experience with D.R. Horton Homes.
Carter stated that she and her partner chose an oversized lot after reviewing different elevations of the same home style. She said they preferred the light blue-gray color with a darker door and white trim, along with features like a front porch on some versions, and decided to move forward after weighing options.
In her first TikTok video, which gained about 11,600 views, Carter claimed the salesperson never disclosed that the online photos and renderings did not match the actual exterior colors of the house they purchased. She said the finished exterior appeared as dark brown with yellowy-beige accents, white trim, and dark stone, adding, “I hate it.”
Homebuyer said color swatches were never provided during the selection process
Carter stated that the salesperson never pulled out color swatches for the siding, accents, or stone of the three houses they considered most. She said they voiced a preference for the blue-gray option, and the salesperson agreed without correcting them or showing samples of the actual combinations.
She claimed they signed purchase agreements remotely over email after the salesperson contacted them on a Sunday about other interested buyers. Carter said the salesperson thanked her for earnest money that had not yet been sent because instructions were never provided. Unexpected property issues can arise after closing, as when a Minnesota woman reported cracks appeared in her home after nearby construction began.
According to Carter, weekly contact and a pre-drywall inspection were promised but did not occur. She said her partner later asked about scheduling the inspection and was told the salesperson had been mistaken and that D.R. Horton does not offer them. Carter stated they first saw the interior after drywall, cabinets, a shower, baseboards, trim, and flooring were already installed.
In a follow-up video posted on TikTok, Carter showed side-by-side comparisons of Zillow and D.R. Horton website listings for the gray house they believed they were buying against the brown house under construction. On-screen text in the video read that the listings did not match the elevation photos of their model.
Carter claimed other sales staff overheard conversations and told them the original salesperson “doesn’t really know what she’s talking about.” She said a watercolor painting of the expected house was commissioned for her birthday but no longer matched because the front door and garage positions were flipped in addition to the color difference.
She stated that staff told her the images were only renderings and that she had signed off on a color called Canyon. Carter said she did not know what Canyon meant and that no one had explained it with samples. She claimed offers of further contact came only from the original salesperson, whom she did not want to speak with again.
In a third TikTok video, Carter displayed portions of the purchase agreement that mentioned a pre-drywall orientation if the home was not yet framed, along with emails in which staff referenced a mechanical or pre-drywall walk that never took place. She said she planned to visit the Grasslands front office the next day, seeking contact information or a resolution and would not leave until she received one.
A U.S. News report on real estate contracts noted that buyers sometimes include contingencies for inspections or other due diligence periods that can allow an exit without full penalty if issues arise early. The same report stated that earnest money deposits, which can be relatively small, may need to be sacrificed if a buyer backs out later in the process.
Carter stated there is nothing that can be done about the exterior color without going through the HOA and that she is stuck with the house and will have to learn to love it despite her strong reaction. For homebuyers, the problems don’t stop at exterior color, as one Omaha woman’s house burned down before she could move in.
Published: Aug 24, 2026 01:08 pm