Unsolicited property offer

[ausgal]

Hoping for some help in writing a letter.
DH and I like a certain estate but houses rarely come up for sale. I've thought of writing a letter to current homeowners, explaining out desire to but in the area and if they are considering selling to contact us, with the potential to save the seller and us money by not having an agent involved.
Has anyone done this before or received a letter like this?
Any suggestions to wording the letter?

[mistlethrush]

Its an excellent idea, I don't think that you need to feel apologetic or anything about it - and you could even just choose to post the letters through the doors of properties that you might consider. I know that my parents did this many years ago to get the house in the area that they wanted.

[BobbiFleckman]

yes! I sold a flat by putting a note up on the hallway noticeboards of a few blocks in our area. A neighbour bought it and it was a delightful procedure, no agents, all friendly, huge trust and tolerance.

I know a few people who have bought that way too - handwritten letters, emphasis on the growing family etc etc, longing to live in the area. Of course what you do with this is remove the ability to haggle much on price because you've already identified yourself as a very keen buyer.

[MissPerception]

This used to be quite common. I think it's a good idea. Takes the (*mostly) scummy EAs out of the picture.

ie Foxtons - who I HATE with a passion

[Gigondas]

It's worth a try but bear in mind it seems to be an ea tactic too (we get a lot of ea leaflets saying we have a buyer keen to move etc) so people may just ignore.

[Gigondas]

Fox tons seem to be keen on this type of adversitising scum that they are

[MissPerception]

We call them Fuckstons in our house.

I can't put in to words their utter, utter, underhandedness, smarmy, double dealing, tacky, disgusting ways of trying to deal with things.

I would actually never even consider buying a home that Fuckstons (Foxtons) had for sale. It would tell me a lot about the vendors

[frostyfingers]

We have an agent round us Miss Perception who we feel exactly the same about. They look down their noses so much it's laughable. We saw a house we really liked but wouldn't go and see it because of the particular agent responsible for it at said snotty nosed agency!

He showed us round a house that his agency had for sale at the same time it was being marketed for letting with another agency who we used and was so up himself I'm surprised he could walk straight. It was so obvious that a) he didn't want the house let at all, and b) that we clearly weren't good enough for said house. The letting agent we had a good laugh at his expense when he was gone but his attitude is enough to stop me viewing a property.

We are now living in said house, and apparently he was hopping when the owner took it off the market. The agency didn't stop marketing it straight away and we were asked if we would make the house available to show someone round and on the advice of our letting agent refused - very satisfying - as it should have been off the market!

[tricot39]

My boss got his house by doing this and we have been considering doing the same. Search the old threads. I can't remember titles but there was soom good advice i noted down about what to put, and what not to put, in the letter!