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Original poster

Anyone sold their house and chosen buyer on basis of a personal note?!

40 replies

Napqueen1234 · 14/10/2020 14:56

Hello

Waiting to hear back about a house we have put an offer in. Absolutely adore it but loads of interest and multiple offers. Have just put our best foot forward and hoped for the best.

Our estate agent suggested sending a small note to the vendors just outlining our situation which we have done via email to sellers estate agent to pass on. A short message (not too desperate or emotional) saying we love the house, our house isn’t on market yet as we would only put it up in order to buy theirs if we had offer accepted, like them we have two daughters and would Love it to be our family home.)

They have a chain free buyer with a solid offer so I’m sure it’s all for nothing but the process of it made me wonder- has anyone ever been swayed by a note like that? Anyone received something similar? Has anyone taken a worse offer or more of a chain because they liked that buyer? Really interested to know!

OP posts:
2me2u2u2me · 14/10/2020 15:09

I haven't received one but I've sent one.

I fell in love with my dream house in August, but mine wasn't yet on the market (due to go on) so I wouldn't go and see it as I felt if I did love it and mine didn't sell quickly I'd be even more disappointed.

When mine went on the market I range the EA to book a viewing, but they wouldn't let me see it as sellers had had an offer accepted, I was gutted. So, I put a note through their door, complimenting them on their lovely house and telling them I loved it blah blah and if the sale fell through to contact me. I got a call a week later saying the current buyer was messing about and did I want to view, went round the night after, loved it, offered full asking price there and then and got it.

They told me they'd had other viewers lined up for the next day but cancelled them all due to them liking how I'd approached it all etc.

I'd definitely put a note through their door, you don't know if the EA will pass it on as they will want a quick sale and won't want delays, which you could maybe cause, you've nothing to lose, like my situation their buyer could fall through.

Glitterandunicorns · 14/10/2020 15:17

I have never needed to write a note like this but would if I did.
If I received one, I would be very likely to accept an offer from that person.
In saying that, I'm sorry OP, but I wouldn't even consider you if your house isn't already in the market. You're not able to proceed.

Original poster
Napqueen1234 · 14/10/2020 15:28

Thank you @Glitterandunicorns I understand that completely. The thing is we don’t really want to put it on as it’s the only house we want so don’t want to waste the EA time or viewers. We have had the photos and are willing to sell for a v realistic price and quickly (in a v popular location) so likely would sell quickly.

@2me2u2u2me what a lovely story! We have sent it over I’m going to leave it for now if and when we hear we haven’t got it (v likely) perhaps I will put a letter through the door with our number in case it falls through. I don’t want to be creepy! (Not calling you creepy!)

OP posts:
Burnthurst187 · 14/10/2020 15:33

Sorry to tell you this but if you're house isn't even on the market don't expect to be taken very seriously

Following gov guidelines you shouldn't have even viewed the house as you aren't in a proceedable position

TheFreaksShallInheritTheEarth · 14/10/2020 15:36

I think the letter idea is lovely: I've only ever sold houses to people I like!
But as a PP said, you're not in a position to proceed. The sellers may want to sell to you, but would be highly unlikely to stop marketing or to refuse an offer from someone else in a better position.

Glitterandunicorns · 14/10/2020 15:37

@Napqueen1234 I understand what you're saying, but the homeowners will not view your offer as a serious one until it's at the very least on the market.

I was in a very similar position a couple of years ago and was told in no uncertain terms that I wasn't proceedable and to come back when I was.

Fortunately for us, we decided to just go for it and managed to sell our home quickly enough to buy the house we wanted.

Unless you put your house up, you're never going to have an offer seriously considered, let alone accepted, even with a note.

AmICrazyorWhat2 · 14/10/2020 15:38

There was a lot of interest in our current house and our EA suggested we include a note with our offer- this was 15 years ago so I suppose she dropped off the paperwork instead of everything being electronic.

It worked. The owners liked the idea of a young family ( DD was on the way) as they’d brought up their family in the house and chose us over other buyers, even though we were only the second-highest offer.

I was astonished, tbh, but i think it’s rather nice to know who’ll be living there.

AmICrazyorWhat2 · 14/10/2020 15:39

We were first-time buyers though so no issues with a chain.

gubbbbbddaaaa · 14/10/2020 15:40

I chose who bought my last house and who bought my parents house based on how I felt about them . Both had several offers and I sold to the people who I thought would be good neighbours.

AlexaShutUp · 14/10/2020 15:41

We didn't write a note, but our seller accepted our significantly lower offer than others that she had already refused, apparently because she liked us. I credit our then 3yo dd with being too cute when we went for the viewing.Grin

The estate agent didn't even want to put the offer to her initially, because they were so certain that she would refuse.

We were very lucky!Smile

Original poster
Napqueen1234 · 14/10/2020 15:44

Ah some lovely stories! I know we are in a crap position but thought we would offer anyway. Perhaps I’ll ask our EA to technically put it on the market so it looks like we are on our way!

OP posts:
AmICrazyorWhat2 · 14/10/2020 15:48

I agree with @gubbbbbddaaaa that knowing that your neighbors will be next door to some nice people makes a difference. Our neighbors on one side are so lovely. Not so bothered about the other side.🤣

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 14/10/2020 15:48

I’ve not seen the people who have bought our last two houses. The EA has done the viewings. I don’t care who buys when I want to sell. The only thing I’m bothered about is that the price is agreed and the sale proceeds as smoothly as possible.

I suppose if I didn’t have a house to sell and saw one that was perfect, I’d maybe approach them, because you’d be in a good position. It sounds like the vendor can pick and choose a buyer though, so they’re in an enviable place.

Roselilly36 · 14/10/2020 16:01

I wouldn’t entertain an offer from anyone that can’t proceed, my EA called me on Saturday a couple wanted to view my house, they aren’t even on the market yet, I said no. Can’t see the point at all, things aren’t selling quickly due to the uncertainty, as you will probably discover when you put your house on the market. We have looked at lots of properties online, but I wouldn’t dream of wasting the vendors time by requesting a viewing until we have a buyer.

tectonicplates · 14/10/2020 16:02

I've never done it, but would consider.

If I received one, in order for me to be swayed, it would have to be in neat handwriting, full sentences and not full of spelling errors etc. Sorry, but it does make a difference. (The same also applies to people asking me for discounts on Ebay!)

Bingbongbinglybong · 14/10/2020 16:08

No, I would not sell based on a note. I choose the buyer based on their offer price, their readiness to proceed and my gut feeling about whether they will go through with the purchase. A note could help persuade me they were serious buyers, but it would not be the deciding factor.

earthyfire · 14/10/2020 16:09

I've only ever sold based on best price not interested in the buyers personal lives. I actually sold to a couple who were a nightmare... purely because I needed a quick sale and they offered the best price.

SurreyHillsGirl · 14/10/2020 16:57

Yes! We found our 'dream home' but didn't have a buyer for ours, we asked the EA to introduce us to the owners and we explained how much we loved their house, and fortunately for us, we clicked and they were in no rush to move as hadn't found anything they liked, so agreed to wait until we had sold, as long as it wasn't too long to wait!

We sold ours four months later and then they found their next home and it all worked out perfectly. So glad we did it, I am so in love with our house Smile

2bazookas · 14/10/2020 17:06

I've had a number of viewers make some kind of personal "choose me" appeal, and not one of them ever ended up making the best offer and buying. . So for me, that tactic has a fatal whiff of "desperate loser".

We're in Scotland, different property system. As a viewer/potential buyer, my policy is to keep a poker face  and a low profile. We dress  very casually, no bling,  no social markers and  keep the viewing short brisk and  non-commital.
Original poster
Napqueen1234 · 14/10/2020 17:22

Ah @SurreyHillsGirl so lovely! Gives me a tiny bit of hope!

OP posts:
Whatisgoingdown · 14/10/2020 18:07

I'm loving this idea but what on earth do you write?!
We are in this position as we speak, made an offer of the asking price today on a house we love but I'm still waiting for mine to sell.

Laurendelight · 14/10/2020 18:19

Do it. We managed to get our first home at the asking price BUT 20k less than developers were willing to pay because the Lady/homeowner who showed us around, liked us and wanted her family home to go to another family.

paddingtonbearsmarmalade · 14/10/2020 18:23

The vendor for our house picked us against another person, very very similar offers, both similarly chain-free (FTB), because he liked us when he met us 🤷🏻‍♀️ it can and does help!

Original poster
Napqueen1234 · 14/10/2020 19:03

Shall I copy the email so you can let me know if I sound like an idiot 😂?

OP posts:
BlusteryShowers · 14/10/2020 19:11

I do think I would be interested by a note like this. People get very attached to their homes and like to think of it continuing to be loved and full of happy memories.

I do think you need to show you're serious though. If you're confident you could sell quickly based on similar houses in your area then you could possibly use that as an argument, but if not I don't think it would make me choose you over someone in a position to move.