Leafleting Prospective Homes

[rosalux]

After failing to find a suitable property since we sold our house last October (sale currently on hold), I was wondering whether I should just bite the bullet and leaflet the (few) streets where there appear to be houses of the size and (hopefully) price bracket we are looking for. Has anyone done this? If so, did you find the experience a positive one? Any tips on what to do/not do, examples of flyers used/best avoided?

[Slippersandacuppa]

We did it four years ago.

It was a positive experience cod the most part - we bought the house (we only leafletted one) and we love it. We obviously saved ourselves a lot of money.

The only negative was that we really needed to be careful when things started to go a bit of course as it was only us (and our respective solicitors). The valuation came back lower than what they wanted to sell it for but we had a good relationship with them by then and managed to sort it out.

I would do it again tomorrow - good luck!

[Slippersandacuppa]

*for

[Slowlybutsurely]

We've just done this and are due to complete in 10 days- fingers crossed. We picked 2 streets that we really liked and posted letters. We only got one response but I guess that's all you need! It was difficult negotiating a price without an estate agent but only because I felt really awkward! We were able to knock money off for saved estate agents fees etc. Go for it!

[Ragusa]

We did it too. Worked out very well as the family who we bought off were clearing the house for sale the very day I dropped the leaflet in.

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

We've just done this. We only got one response, but we are buying their house. The solicitors are dealing with everything.

There wasn't much in the way of negotiation. DH asked the seller what he wanted, we decided that was OK and that was that. We might have gotten it for less through an EA but there's so little on the market where we're looking that it wouldn't be worth potentially alienating a seller by chancing our arm with a low offer.

Our letter was really short. It explained that we are a family living in X area who have agreed a sale for our house and are looking to buy on X estate (or street in your case) and that we'd love them to contact us if they were thinking of selling their house. Nothing pushy and we tried to keep it brief. We wrote actual addresses on the envelopes and put them through people's doors.

[mrschatty]

Go for it!!! If someone said they were interested in my house I would seriously consider selling even if I had been unsure/holding off. Sometimes that push is all the owner needs! Good luck

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

We figured there was nothing to lose...

The people who responded first off wanted to check that it wasn't some kind of scam, which is probably what we would have assumed too in their position. But DH had a chat with the guy and reassured him.

[rosalux]

Glad to hear it all went well for those of you who have done this. Will get my thinking cap on and try drafting a leaflet which is heartfelt but not obsequious. Such a fine line. Thanks for your input.

[Honeyandfizz]

I would definitely do it. We are putting any moving plans on hold for two years but there are only 2 roads that I would move for and they rarely come up for sale. I would certainly leaflet them, you've not got a single thing to lose!

[Slippersandacuppa]

On that note...I wrote a full essay. Told them our story, reasons why we were looking to stay in the area, how much we loved their house. DH suggested it might be a bit full on so we literally just wrote (handwritten and delivered - we get loads of funky fliers here) that we really liked their house, and if they were ever thinking of selling, to please give us a call.

I'm guilty of overthinking things