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AIBU?

To post letters through people's doors...

47 replies

OldTownNew · 15/02/2017 11:25

... asking if they want to move?

We live on a new build estate and want to upgrade to a bigger house. The side that we are on are mostly south facing, so by default the other side of the road are mostly north-facing. There are a few plots that will be available at some point this year with west facing gardens.

Would it be rude for me to post letters through the already built houses (they've been built for almost 2 years) asking if they were considering moving? As if they are, we would like to buy an already built house over a new one.

OP posts:

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ferriswheel · 15/02/2017 11:29

Its pretty forward but if you don't ask you don't get. Good luck!

Knittedfrog · 15/02/2017 11:31

Go for it. I know someone who bought a house by doing this. If a letter came through my door asking if I was interested in selling I would certainly consider it,

DJBaggySmalls · 15/02/2017 11:32

We get those sometimes. (People look for an exchange.) I dont think anyone minds.

ComtesseDeSpair · 15/02/2017 11:33

It's worth a shot, I've received similar flyers about my flat twice I think. I'd get yourselves approved in principle for a mortgage of the value of houses you're interested in, though - no point canvassing if you're only going to discover shortly after that you're not in a position to progress. I'd include that sort of thing in your flyers, too: "serious about moving, funds available, can progress quickly" etc.

However, the situation does sort of limit your position if you want to negotiate with sellers on price or anything, as they automatically know you're keen enough on their house in particular to have propositioned them for it. You need to have firm limits set up with yourself about what you will and won't negotiate. Depends on the market in your area though, in a less fast-paced one it might not make much difference.

blueyedboy · 15/02/2017 11:34

That's a really good idea!
I don't think it's rude at all.

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 15/02/2017 11:34

Creepy AF.

Modern version of hounding them out with pitchforks.

Kingston's Estate Agents do this round here and it makes me really angry and defensive. Vultures.

nancy75 · 15/02/2017 11:34

My parents bought a house by putting letters through doors. The people had been thinking of moving but put off by the thought of having loads of people round to view

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 15/02/2017 11:36

I'm in the minority.

I am odd. I accept that. And I'm fearful of post in general.

You crack on, do what you need to do to find a lovely home. Ignore the weirdo over here.

Man10 · 15/02/2017 11:36

I don't see why this would be rude at all. If they're not interested they can bin the letter, if they are thinking about moving then having a ready buyer might be the deciding factor that nudges them in that direction.

PleasantPhesant · 15/02/2017 11:37

Our neighbour went and asked the previous owner if she would be interested in selling as she had always loved the house. (A beautiful Manor house so who could blame her)

Anyway-they met up, agreed a price and the house was sold to her.

If you don't try you don't get

Dawndonnaagain · 15/02/2017 11:38

My sister bought her last house in exactly this way.

Birdsgottaf1y · 15/02/2017 11:38

It would save them at least £1.5k in estate agency fees etc and as valuable a lot of time/worry, do I don't think that's it's wrong to do that.

OldTownNew · 15/02/2017 11:39

My thinking was that if someone put a letter through my door I'd be really pleased to not have to deal with a lot of the hassle! If I didn't want to sell I'd read it and throw it in the bin

OP posts:

ComtesseDeSpair · 15/02/2017 11:40

TBF to KingJoffrey, if I get solicitations from estate agents they do go straight in the bin, and I don't like them - they're ultimately looking for business and money for themselves, not trying to do me a favour, and if I want to sell I'll choose my own agent, thanks very much. Letters from potential buyers direct seem a bit different and I'd be more accepting of them, particularly if the sender is somebody who already lives close by.

Jellyshoeshurtmyfeet · 15/02/2017 11:40

A few years ago we had a very polite note through our door which I kept and a few months later when we were ready to sell I contacted them. They didn't buy but I certainly wasn't offended by their note.

spiderlight · 15/02/2017 11:47

I've just sold my dad's house to someone who did exactly that! His note came through the door, I rang him and he came straight back, had a look around the house, I told him the price we were planning to put it on the market for and we shook hands on it there and then. Saved us incredible amounts of hassle. Go for it, I say!

FireInTheHead · 15/02/2017 11:48

I mostly get flyers looking for properties from local realtors but have had a fair few 'private' enquiries, I wouldn't think it weird. This is getting to be a sought after location, but few properties up for sale so it's more common now than when we first moved in. We got one yesterday in fact, we're actually going to be renting this place out and the property manager had been to put a sign in the yard. We found a letter on the porch when we came back from shopping asking if we'd consider selling instead.

VacantExpression · 15/02/2017 11:52

We got our house by doing just this, we were trying to buy a house which fell through, but we had fallen for the area so put a note through about 30 doors- two days later we had agreed to buy a house up the road.

One thing I might do is buy a PAYG mobile and put that number on the note, I get really anxious about strangers phoning me and this way I wasn't essentially giving a load of strangers "my" mobile number.

GangstaRat · 15/02/2017 11:53

I get letters every week like that from some of the approx seven trillion estate agents in my neighbourhood, so a letter from a real person wouldn't bother me.

c3pu · 15/02/2017 11:53

I get flyers through my door from estate agents wanting to buy my house about once a month.

probably because it looks like a shit tip from the front

OldTownNew · 15/02/2017 11:54

Wow lots of positive stories!

Now, do I type it or hand-write? I have neat handwriting if that makes a difference

OP posts:

Madbengalmum · 15/02/2017 11:55

Yes, its a good idea. It worked for my mother who found a smaller property by doing this. Go for it.

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Madbengalmum · 15/02/2017 11:56

I would type it.

BalloonSlayer · 15/02/2017 11:56

We had this happen to us. Someone further down the road in 2 bedroom houses wanted one of the 3 bed ones and put a note through the doors.

As it happened we needed to move and had had the house valued. However we had had a leak in an upstairs room, which had been fixed but a bit of repair plastering needed doing so we were waiting for that to be done before going ahead and putting the house on the market.

When I got the note I tided up and rang the lady. She came round and in the evening came back with her husband. They bought the house. No estate agents' fees, thankyouverymuch

You all hate me now, don't you?

APlaceOnTheCouch · 15/02/2017 11:58

Hand-write it. It distinguishes it from the estate agent vultures that Joffrey was talking about Good luck!

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