I always recommend that my buyers write a personal letter to the seller of the home when submitting an offer, especially when there are multiple buyers. Sellers are most likely very attached to their home and the memories they have made there and are therefore having a hard time letting go of it. Sellers often want to know that a “good” family is buying it and will take great care of it. When you write a personal letter I recommend including the following:
- Compliment the features of the home you love (Ex. We love the double story living room, it reminds us of the homes we grew up in when we were young!)
- Draw word pictures of memories you look forward to making in the home (Ex. We can’t wait to have our son’s first Christmas in your home. We can already see the Christmas tree in the family room next to our baby grand piano!)
- Promise to take great care of it
- Share a little about yourself and your family
- Let them know how much you look forward to working with them and their family
My clients had put three offers on three different homes that ended up selling for more than asking price in less than a week on the market. My clients had just moved here from DC and were feeling very discouraged about finding a home for their family. We had to schedule a showing the same day the house went on the market and then write an offer the minute we left the house. It was extremely competitive. When they found the fourth home we realized this was “the home” and we were not willing to lose it. I encouraged my clients to write a personal letter to the seller letting them know how much they loved their home and looked forward to making it their own. Here is the letter they wrote. My clients got this home and are thrilled to call him home!
