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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

“If you are ever in the market we would be interested in your house”

247 replies

Foodfoodfoodie · 20/01/2022 21:48

We live in a desirable village in an expensive area. Today we had a letter through our door, summarised it read something like:

we are looking to move in the area and have flagged your home as one we would be interested in of you were in the market to move. If you consider selling in the near future we would love to hear from you and would be willing to negotiate a price around the X mark, which we believe to be higher than the asking price you would be recommended by an agent

AIBU to think this is really cheeky and intrusive? They are being very upfront about essentially eyeing up my home.

I’m not in the market to move but if I was they would be bottom of the list, regardless of money.

OP posts:
Heronwatcher · 20/01/2022 22:09

I can’t actually believe that you haven’t heard of this (we get these pretty regularly), and if you were considering selling it could have saved you thousands! Plus you do realise that most houses are on Zoopla/ Rightmove these days, plus your local planning portal (if you’ve had to apply for planning permission), they’ve not been putting your house under surveillance from a Range Rover with tinted windows.

MakkaPakkas · 20/01/2022 22:10

Happens pretty frequently to us (London). I wouldn't think too much of it. Means you can move easily if you want to.

Tmwtgg · 20/01/2022 22:10

I say this gently, but you are being OTT.

Your property details are available to anyone with time and interest. Anyone wandering around the average village, town or city is 'eyeing up' properties as they walk or drive past. Putting a note through the door doesn't compel you to sell the house if you don't want to.

And as for saying that if you did, they'd be bottom of the list - why? Do you feel that people have to 'deserve' to purchase a house?

Joinedforthis22 · 20/01/2022 22:12

They are being very upfront about essentially eyeing up my home.

Have you never looked at a house and thought "oh, I'd love to live there"? I really can't see thet have done anything wrong but taken a chance that you might be thinking of selling.

godmum56 · 20/01/2022 22:12

I have had them too, also similar notes from estate agents saying that they have a client looking in my street. Oddly I have also had notes stuck under the wiper on my car asking to buy the car.

thinking123 · 20/01/2022 22:13

I sold a house to someone who put a note through. A neighbours house had sold abs they missed out. We where half thinking about moving so this was win win

MrsGinnyM · 20/01/2022 22:13

As someone who gets this sort of note, letter and card through our letterbox, they do all just go in the bin but I'm with the OP in finding them intrusive. The writers of the OP's haven't helped themselves either by how they have worded it as it sounds quite pushy.

SarahBellam · 20/01/2022 22:13

We get these every now and again, along with estate agents posting notes through the door telling us about “Mr and Mrs xxx are looking for a family home with abc and yyy in this area. If you’re thinking of selling please get in touch”. It’s not that unusual.

DukeofEarlGrey · 20/01/2022 22:13

It's totally fine but I agree the wording is a bit more presumptuous than most notes of this kind.

Ragruggers · 20/01/2022 22:15

Great idea,often works and avoids agents fees.Nothing wrong with it very common where we live.

AngelinaFibres · 20/01/2022 22:15

I did this, but without the price bit. I am sitting on the sofa texting this from the home I bought because I asked if it was for sale.

LemonTreeGrove · 20/01/2022 22:15

Sounds fine

whistleinthewind · 20/01/2022 22:16

You're totally overly precious. What they are offering is a price that's still competitive without estate agents fees - a winner for both. You unequivocally need to get over yourself, nothing about your area or house is private, it doesn't warrant them being on the bottom of any list... if anything it puts you at the bottom of a potential buyers. Because believe me, at some point you will want to sell and you'll hope for this rather than a 1% EA fee

AlDanvers · 20/01/2022 22:16

The information they have seen is available to all.

I think you are being weird about this.

Darbs76 · 20/01/2022 22:17

My friend did it, and they sold her the house. She ended up becoming really good friends with them actually as they randomly rented the house next door for a while

HelloDulling · 20/01/2022 22:19

Cheeky how?

If you live in a desirable, expensive area (lucky old you) you will have plenty of people who walk or drive past your house, then go on RM to look at house prices. Sell to them and buy something cheap and unappealing. It’ll never happen again.

LovePoppy · 20/01/2022 22:20

I get a few of these a year.

It’s pretty common

Lou98 · 20/01/2022 22:20

I’m not in the market to move but if I was they would be bottom of the list, regardless of money

That would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I don't think it's cheeky at all, a lot of people are selling up just now. We're due to put our house up for sale in the next month or two so I'd be over the moon if someone put a note like that through my door, especially if they were willing to pay more than asking price.

If they were pestering you with multiple letters etc then I could see your point but I really don't get the issue, don't ask don't get and all that

Womencanlift · 20/01/2022 22:21

I did vote YABU because it is a common thing to happen but agree on the intrusive nature.

I had this when I was selling my house a few years ago. Note through the door, they found my name and start sending loads of messages to me via Facebook messenger and finally they even got my phone number (not sure from where) and constantly phoned and text. Wasn’t even that desirable a location. They got blocked and I sold to someone else

Keeva2017 · 20/01/2022 22:23

Why are you chucking your toys out of the pram? They googled your house and offered you the chance to save estate fee’s should you have been thinking about moving?

Good lord, you live a charmed life if this is what winds you up.

17CherryTreeLane · 20/01/2022 22:23

Sounds much better than the one we got, which told us about all of their children. It went on about how our house is really for families, and shoe be filled with the sound of children.

Yes...my own bloody children are already on it!!!

burnthur5t · 20/01/2022 22:24

EA's quite often post leaflets to houses in my area doing this

fruitbrewhaha · 20/01/2022 22:25

The bit saying "we'd pay more than if you put it on the market" is a bit weird/rude.

But a note saying, your house is lovely and we are looking to buy in the area please give us a call if you are thinking of selling is absolutely fine.

Although now I'm disappointed I've not had one! Is my house not nice enough?

Allycott · 20/01/2022 22:27

It's nothing out of the ordinary and it's enabled you to brag a little. What's not to like 😁

PossiblyDreaming · 20/01/2022 22:27

It’s bog standard isn’t it? I live in a tourist town that has been bought up by Londoners over the last couple of years. I get a couple of those through my door most weeks. It’s just junk mail, you don’t have to sell your house Confused