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Original poster

I would like to buy your house

101 replies

WatchyMcWatchdog · 22/05/2019 13:34

There's a house in my village which I've had my eye on for a long time. It's owned by an older couple (early 60s) who have lived there for over 25 years. It's not in great condition but it's in a lovely part of the village, is good size with a big garden. Nothing else in the village matches our requirements but I absolutely appreciate it may well continue to meet theirs now and in the future. I would like to put a note through their door and be as polite as possible about it. Here's my current draft:

Dear Homeowners,

Apologies for contacting you out of the blue. We hope you don't mind us taking this direct approach of writing to you to see if you might be interested in selling your house at all?

We have taken the unusual step of contacting you as we are a local couple with young children who are very keen to stay living in the village. We have been looking for a long term family home in [village] for the last 2 years. Our children are # and # and we would love them to have a house with the space to play in and a garden big enough to run around in. From the outside it looks as though your house would be great for that. I am [involved in local thing] so living within walking distance of it whilst they grow up would be lovely for our daughters.
We would really like to hear from you if you are thinking of selling, or perhaps keep our details if you are considering moving in the near future. We haven’t contacted any other homeowners as we think yours is just right so if you aren’t looking to sell if you could let us know we would really appreciate it.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.

WatchMcWatchdog

OP posts:
Singlenotsingle · 22/05/2019 13:38

Good idea. If you don't ask, you don't get. Good luck.

Original poster
WatchyMcWatchdog · 22/05/2019 13:40

Singlenotsingle thank you. I want them to be perfectly happy to say no without feeling pressured but yes if the time has come for them to move on/down size/move somewhere with less maintenance.

OP posts:
Cobblersandhogwash · 22/05/2019 13:43

Polite and direct. Perfect.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Property
WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 22/05/2019 13:48

including all that about your children looks like emotional blackmail. If they are in their 60s they may well be thinking that they'll be having grandchildren to stay and want to keep that space for them - you can't possibly assume they want to downsize (no-one I know of that age downsized in their 60s, I'd say mid 70s earliest, if they did it at all) - that's pretty ageist.

There was a thread about this kind of thing recently. Most people were fine with it but some absolutely hated it. You could make them feel very uncomfortable indeed, especially if it's a small village.

ReginaGeorgeous · 22/05/2019 13:57

I think all the information about you and your children is unnecessary. They're either looking to move or they're not - a simple 'we love your house, please contact us if you're thinking of selling' is enough.

SnowsInWater · 22/05/2019 13:59

I think there is nothing wrong with the direct approach and with letter dropping houses you are interested in, but they would either consider selling or not regardless of your story. When you start talking about your children and wanting them to have a garden to run around in it sounds like you are one of those people who thinks older people should downsize to give the next generation a chance. If I was the adult child or a friend of that couple (who they would probably show such a letter to) I would be seriously pissed off with you and tell them to bin it.

Original poster
WatchyMcWatchdog · 22/05/2019 14:00

WeepingWillowWeepingWino yep that's not the impression I'm going for so draft 2 is below. I have lived in the village for over 10 years and have no idea of their names and I know a lot of people! I know them from a distance but have never seen them at any village event which is unusual. So hopefully no one would be made to feel uncomfortable. My parents and PILs downsized in their early 60s but retained a playroom for their grandchildren and both houses still had pretty reasonable sized gardens. That's the only frame of reference I have.

Draft 2:

Dear Homeowners,

Apologies for contacting you out of the blue. We hope you don't mind us taking this direct approach of writing to you to see if you might be interested in selling your house at all?

We have taken the unusual step of contacting you as we are a local couple with young children who are very keen to stay living in the village. We have been looking for a long term family home in [village] for the last 2 years as our children are # and # and we would love them to have a house with the space to play in and a garden big enough to run around in. From the outside it looks as though your house would be great for that. I am [involved in local thing] so living within walking distance of it whilst they grow up would be lovely for our daughters.

We would really like to hear from you if you are thinking of selling, or perhaps keep our details if you are considering moving in the near future. We haven’t contacted any other homeowners as we think yours is just right so if you aren’t looking to sell if you could let us know we would really appreciate it.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.

WatchMcWatchdog

OP posts:
HoozTurnIsIt · 22/05/2019 14:06

I am in my 60s and live in a large beautiful house in a village. My DC are 21 and 23, the youngest still at university. I'm not planning on moving in the next year or two but maybe then (I'm long since over village life which is idyllic with toddlers but a nightmare with teenagers).

If someone put that note through the door I would think CF but I would keep it in case I decided to sell in the future. At that point I would get some valuations done and invite you to make me an offer.
As others have said delete the sentimental stuff about you and your family I think it makes it feel patronising.

FiremanKing · 22/05/2019 14:13

I’d put it straight in the bin as it looks like you’re trying to guilt me into selling my home because of the children!

I don’t want to know about your personal life and I would be suspicious that it’s made up crap anyway.

It’s also far too long and my eyes would glaze over whilst reading it.

Dear homeowner,

If you are interested in selling your home we would be very interested and can move at whatever pace suits you and would pay the fair market price.

We can be contacted on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Mention if you’re a cash buyer.

Original poster
WatchyMcWatchdog · 22/05/2019 14:14

Draft 3:

Dear Homeowners,

Apologies for contacting you out of the blue. We hope you don't mind us taking this direct approach of writing to you to see if you might be interested in selling your house at all?

We have taken the unusual step of contacting you as we are a local couple with young children who are very keen to stay living in [name] village. We haven’t yet managed to find a house that meets our needs and from the outside it looks as though your house could be just right.

We would really like to hear from you if you are thinking of selling, or perhaps keep our details if you are considering moving in the near future. We haven’t contacted any other homeowners so if you aren’t looking to sell if you could let us know we would really appreciate it.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.

WatchyMcWatchdog

OP posts:
Original poster
WatchyMcWatchdog · 22/05/2019 14:15

We're not cash buyers and our house isn't even on the market because there's no point as in the 2 years we've been looking we've put in 1 offer and looked at 4 houses!

OP posts:
Drogosnextwife · 22/05/2019 14:16

Your second draft still has too much information. A simple introduction of who you are and if they are thinking of selling the or house in the future could they possibly let you know. It really does sound like you are trying to guilt them into moving by mentioning your children.

Lost5stone · 22/05/2019 14:19

Draft 3 is much better. I would probably not say anything about your children and just say you walk past the house a lot and admire it and if they were thinking of selling could you get in contact.

FiremanKing · 22/05/2019 14:20

A word of advice, you sound a lovely person but your notes are gushing and full of unecesssry information.

No one needs to know about your personal circumstances and family.

I would be thinking, oh god I don’t want her coming round to look at the house as she will tell us her life story and probably start showing us baby/wedding photographs! Grin

Older people’s time gets more precious as you age!

MyDcAreMarvel · 22/05/2019 14:23

as our children are # and # and we would love them to have a house with the space to play in and a garden big enough to run around in.
Omit the above from draft two.

MyDcAreMarvel · 22/05/2019 14:23

X post missed draft threez

WifOfBif · 22/05/2019 14:24

Dear homeowner,

We love the look of your house and would be grateful if you would keep our details and contact us should you ever think of selling.

Kind regards

That’s all you need to put, anything else is unnecessary

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 22/05/2019 14:25

you're still whanging on about your kids. You are implying that this house of most suitable for a family and therefore that's who should be living in it.

'We like your house. If you are interested in selling please get in touch.'

thekingfisher · 22/05/2019 14:26

I think all versions are fine - however I would give more info on where precisely YOU live otherwise its a bit weird you having spied their house.

thekingfisher · 22/05/2019 14:27

everyone else is a miserable bugger on this thread. If it saves them 10,000 in agents fees they will be keen whatever you put.
You have made it clear by the personal info you are not a developer.
I think all versions fine bar the point about where you live

nauticant · 22/05/2019 14:29

What kind of premium would you be willing to offer? If I received this kind of letter it would be the first thing on my mind.

DoxxedFox · 22/05/2019 14:32

Yeah it’s still ever-so slightly manipulative - sure that’s not the intention.

Tell them you love their house from afar and please do keep your details for any future sale.

pallisers · 22/05/2019 14:33

I know people who did this - but they knew the homeowners and the inside of the house so more or less said to them "look if you ever feel like moving, we would definitely buy your house" (it was bigger/better but on the same lovely street).

If you do send the note, I would just say family with 2 young children living at XYZ in the village and love the house. Don't go on about your children running about - sounds like you are hinting they don't deserve the house and you do.

Also, I think you could find it very awkward if they said "ok so" and you took a look inside the house and found it wasn't what you wanted.

7salmonswimming · 22/05/2019 14:33

Dear Homeowner,

We would be very interested in buying your home if you are looking to sell. We currently live in [village].

Please feel free to contact us via any of the details below if of any interest.

Regards,

Watch McWatchDog

I agree with PP: all the guff about your children and job and garden is guilt-trippy and unnecessary. I put the bit about you living in the village to let it be known you're not a developer or BTL landlord.

RubberTreePlant · 22/05/2019 14:33

Yes, drop the children.

Also cut the "at all". You can't slightly or partially sell a house, so it just makes you sound wheedling.