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Original poster

Small gift for person buying our home?

66 replies

Newname211 · 15/07/2023 20:21

The person buying my home is moving here from a different country. Our home isn’t a big/fancy house or anything, it’s very modest.

The buyer gave us a very fair price and has been lovely through the whole process, so we want to get them a small “new home” gift.

Obviously the obvious choices are a plant/flowers or booze, but personally I don’t like those kinds of gifts so try to avoid giving them! I also hate wasting money on something that might not be appreciated.

I was thinking of making a small pack with local info and info about the house (eg where tiles/flooring/doors/door handles came from incase of repairs/replacements being needed and so on) and local contacts like our gardener, window cleaner etc, nice places to eat that are close by (since she’s new to the area) and then making her a small “welcome” hamper with essentials for the first few days (eg hand soap, toilet roll, washing up liquid, tea, coffee, sugar, bread, and leaving a note saying there is milk and butter in the fridge) - along with maybe a few disposable cups and leaving our (good condition) kettle?

If you were buying a house in a different country, would you appreciate this?

Buyers goods are already in this country in storage; buyer is travelling the day before the move.

OP posts:
Pearl97 · 15/07/2023 20:24

I love this idea. Please do it. More people should care for others in this way.

QuinnofHearts · 15/07/2023 20:25

This is absolutely lovely! I moved last year and I'd love something like this, esp business details!

chipsandpeas · 15/07/2023 20:26

when i obught my house i was left a bottle of wine and a bag of schmackos for my dog
love it, i would do the same if selling to a person

i did sell my mums house but it was to a investor so left nothing

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Original poster
Newname211 · 15/07/2023 20:27

Thank you for the reassurance! I didn’t know if it was a bit naff.

OP posts:
Summer2424 · 15/07/2023 20:27

Hi @Newname211 awww that's such a nice thing to do xx
We got left a card by the previous owner and omg it really did make our hearts melt, what she had written was so lovely ❤

Original poster
Newname211 · 15/07/2023 20:27

chipsandpeas · 15/07/2023 20:26

when i obught my house i was left a bottle of wine and a bag of schmackos for my dog
love it, i would do the same if selling to a person

i did sell my mums house but it was to a investor so left nothing

I mean, I’d love wine too! And my dog would love treats. But I’m always mindful about not gifting booze to people I don’t know.

OP posts:
24Dogcuddler · 15/07/2023 20:28

Oh wow that sounds amazing. What a lovely thoughtful and helpful idea. I’m sure they will feel really welcome.

snowlady4 · 15/07/2023 20:29

Lovely gesture.
I would go for a candle and/ or bottle of wine.

SteveBuscemisRheumyEye · 15/07/2023 20:30

It's not naff at all! It's really bloody thoughtful!

LindaLyndell · 15/07/2023 20:31

Lovely idea OP, I think your buyer will really appreciate the effort! ❤️

PollyPeep · 15/07/2023 20:34

Newname211 · 15/07/2023 20:21

The person buying my home is moving here from a different country. Our home isn’t a big/fancy house or anything, it’s very modest.

The buyer gave us a very fair price and has been lovely through the whole process, so we want to get them a small “new home” gift.

Obviously the obvious choices are a plant/flowers or booze, but personally I don’t like those kinds of gifts so try to avoid giving them! I also hate wasting money on something that might not be appreciated.

I was thinking of making a small pack with local info and info about the house (eg where tiles/flooring/doors/door handles came from incase of repairs/replacements being needed and so on) and local contacts like our gardener, window cleaner etc, nice places to eat that are close by (since she’s new to the area) and then making her a small “welcome” hamper with essentials for the first few days (eg hand soap, toilet roll, washing up liquid, tea, coffee, sugar, bread, and leaving a note saying there is milk and butter in the fridge) - along with maybe a few disposable cups and leaving our (good condition) kettle?

If you were buying a house in a different country, would you appreciate this?

Buyers goods are already in this country in storage; buyer is travelling the day before the move.

What a lovely idea! And I think that's really thoughtful and practical to include all the info about replacement handles, tiles etc, maybe add the names of the paints in case they need to do touch ups? The hamper is very thoughtful too, and just what I would have wanted when moving ❤️

FloweryName · 15/07/2023 20:34

This is a lovely idea. We received flowers already in a vase when we bought, along with a lovely card. We did similar for the new buyers when we left and included all the local takeaway menus and the little magazines with all the local info and trades advertising.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 15/07/2023 20:37

Awe, that sounds amazing!!

guzzleandstuff · 15/07/2023 20:40

I wouldn't leave fresh stuff - butter for example. Many people wouldn't eat it if they didn't know how it had been bought and stored. The other stuff is wonderful though OP. (I left champagne, flowers, chocs and a nice card for my buyers). Hope they appreciated it.

Bananagrand · 15/07/2023 20:46

We left a small hamper like that (it was actually a rubbish bin) for our tenant, and it was much appreciated.

Ukholidaysaregreat · 15/07/2023 20:48

Aww! What a nice idea! That sounds lovely! I think they would be really pleased with that. Xxx

mrsbyers · 15/07/2023 20:52

We left champagne and a £50 gift card but they had been extremely accommodating and let us keep stuff there for a few days after completion when the removers turned up in van that was smaller than expected

kweeble · 15/07/2023 20:52

It’s thoughtful - what I most appreciated was a house that was really spotlessly clean.

Summerscoming23 · 15/07/2023 20:54

We got a voucher for a local restaurant was really nice token

RosesAndHellebores · 15/07/2023 20:55

It's perfectly normal.to leave a folder about the house. Who fitted the plumbing, alarm, etc, instructions for things being left behind: cooker, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, etc. Things like tiles and paints labelled in the shed.

We've always left flowers and fizz but I think the aforementioned is far more important.

The chap I bought my first house from left flowers and champagne and rather less nobly the biggest skid I've ever seen Shock.

TuesdayWonder · 15/07/2023 20:56

When my partner and I bought our house the previous owners left us a card and bottle of champagne and a little pack which contained some guarantees for work they'd had done recently as well as names of the next door neighbours at both sides.
And they also left the fridge/freezer which was appreciated as we were first time buyers 😁

Original poster
Newname211 · 15/07/2023 21:19

guzzleandstuff · 15/07/2023 20:40

I wouldn't leave fresh stuff - butter for example. Many people wouldn't eat it if they didn't know how it had been bought and stored. The other stuff is wonderful though OP. (I left champagne, flowers, chocs and a nice card for my buyers). Hope they appreciated it.

Most people wouldn’t eat a sealed container of butter inside a working refrigerator? I find that … hard to believe.

OP posts:
Original poster
Newname211 · 15/07/2023 21:19

TuesdayWonder · 15/07/2023 20:56

When my partner and I bought our house the previous owners left us a card and bottle of champagne and a little pack which contained some guarantees for work they'd had done recently as well as names of the next door neighbours at both sides.
And they also left the fridge/freezer which was appreciated as we were first time buyers 😁

Yes, we are already leaving all (less than six months old) white goods, blinds and so on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Newname211 · 15/07/2023 21:24

kweeble · 15/07/2023 20:52

It’s thoughtful - what I most appreciated was a house that was really spotlessly clean.

It is not going to be spotlessly clean. Clean, yes, but not spotless. We are moving with children and pets. Obviously we keep our home a normal level of clean, and we will wipe the floors again before we load the van, but it’s simply impossible for it to be spotless.

OP posts:
Inkypot · 15/07/2023 21:32

This is a really sweet idea.
I particularly like that you acknowledge the risk in gifting alcohol to someone you don't know, more people should be mindful of this.