The couple is facing a discrimination lawsuit against real estate agents in Livingston County

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. “When Julie and Verdell Franklin saw their dream home for sale on Zukey Lake in Livingston County, the couple knew they had to act quickly.”

But it quickly turned into a nightmare and the two took their claims to federal court. The two claim that they were discriminated against because they were an interracial couple.

“He wanted to know what time we wanted to meet and he explained everything to me and then, when we got there, he was like another person when we came in and he saw us,” Julie Franklin said.

In the lawsuit filed in the eastern district of Michigan, Franklins claims that almost nothing about how the real estate agent acted felt good.

The lawsuit alleges that they were ignored, not asked basic questions, and were finally told that nothing would be accepted less than the listing price.

The Franklins made their offer at that price of $ 300,000 and waited. A few weeks later, they saw that the cottage had been sold at the same price as a white mortgage.

“I got in the car. I went home and cried all night. I just couldn’t believe it and then we have to tell the kids, “said Julie Franklin.

The Franklins have filed discrimination complaints with both the Livingston County Realtors Association and the Hard Housing Authority, which said they should look into a lawsuit.

“We’ve been married for over 30 years and we’ve been through some things as an interracial couple, but never anything like that,” she said.

The Franklins say this will not stop them from trying to get another place on the lake, but they are hoping for some responsibility.

“We would like this to happen to anyone else and that’s the whole point of it,” she said.

The real estate agent in the process could not be contacted for comment.

READ MORE: LIVINGSTON COUNTY TITLES