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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

AngelinaFibres · 20/01/2022 22:28

We are planning the next stage of our lives. We spent last Saturday driving up and down every residential road in the market town we want to move to next .We wanted to see what type of housing stock was available within walking distance of the town centre. We made a list of suitable roads we fancied and looked on zoopla to see what price they might achieve, if they were on the market now. Many had EA pictures from when they were last sold. They also had floor plans which may, or may not be accurate. When we are ready to move we will sell our house and then put cards through every door of every house that fits what we are looking for. If we hear nothing so be it. If we get lucky hip hurrah.

ChampagneLassie · 20/01/2022 22:28

I reckon if you wanted to sell you'd be glad, why wouldn't you want to avoid agent fees and hassle? As you don't just throw away. Can't see why thus would upset anyone.

Shaggerspouch · 20/01/2022 22:28

YABU

notacooldad · 20/01/2022 22:28

I wouldn't be keen on the way they have effectively told you what kind of price you should be happy to accept
I dont see any problem with this. It gives you a good starting point for negotiations.
I dont think it is a cheeky approach at all.

eurochick · 20/01/2022 22:29

If you were thinking about selling they could have just saved you thousands in estate agent fees.

iamnlhfss · 20/01/2022 22:29

Not cheeky at all.
This happened to my friend. She wasn't thinking of selling her one bed flat but the offer she received from someone through the door was really really good and meant she could afford to buy a house in a slightly different area with way more space.
If you're not interested in selling the property then no need to contact them.
I don't think it's intrusive at all. People do research properties online - including properties from old listings to get an idea of what is available.

Gardeningdream · 20/01/2022 22:30

Gosh what an odd reaction to something totally normal and completely inoffensive.

PossiblyDreaming · 20/01/2022 22:30

Although actually I just remembered that’s how I ended up in this house, pretty much. We’d moved next door and I was speaking to the new neighbours and said I’d always loved their house as I walked past it on my way to school everyday and dreamed about living there. Jokingly said if they were ever selling to let me know first, 6 months later they were selling, told me first and we saved loads of money by not using an estate agent.

APileofLogs · 20/01/2022 22:31

Perfectly sensible and normal. Just Chuck it if you are not interested.

Fairylightsongs · 20/01/2022 22:31

@Allycott

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

😂😂😂😂

DoNotGetADog · 20/01/2022 22:32

It’s a bit silly to say they’d be “bottom of the list” if you did want to sell.

Why would someone who definitely wants to buy your house for more money than it’s worth and without you having to pay any estate agent’s fees be bottom of your list?

FlutterShite · 20/01/2022 22:32

Relax. They're not being creepy. Houses in my area are snapped up before they hit Rightmove, so people go around leafleting whole streets. Usually they have a buyer for their house but nowhere to ruddy move to!

If it really bothers you, just do what my DH and DC do and make the exterior look like absolute shite, then you'll be left alone.

DoTheMerengue · 20/01/2022 22:32

Wouldn’t bother me in slightest. My in laws live in a large property in a desirable area and get them all the time.

MrsGinnyM · 20/01/2022 22:33

@17CherryTreeLane

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!!!

Yes, we've also had similar ones to this, aimed to guilt-trip and pull at the heartstrings. Imagine writing that to an elderly/vulnerable person? It's someone's home already.

Chardonnay73 · 20/01/2022 22:33

Diamond shoes too tight are they?
Honestly, it’s a normal thing to do if you live in a desirable area, either by estate agents, or, in your case private buyers. Not really something I could get worked up about tbh 🤷‍♀️

RitaFires · 20/01/2022 22:33

I do think they didn't communicate things quite right with their letter, but it's common enough for people to write to houses they'd like to live in. I don't like their wording and the implication that they know best about what price it could achieve but I wouldn't be offended if someone said they'd like to live in a house like mine. I wouldn't go with their valuation and would want to consult an EA regarding price because I would be suspicious that they were trying to avoid the price that could be got on the open market.

getsanta · 20/01/2022 22:33

They'd be top of my list if I was selling.

FatFredsFriedEgg · 20/01/2022 22:35

I had a note pushed through the door saying that someone wanted to buy my (scruffy) house. I googled the phone number and it was a local estate agent.

Colderthanever · 20/01/2022 22:35

@DoNotGetADog

It’s a bit silly to say they’d be “bottom of the list” if you did want to sell.

Why would someone who definitely wants to buy your house for more money than it’s worth and without you having to pay any estate agent’s fees be bottom of your list?

Cos apparently you need to sell it to someone who will pay less and doesn’t do anything proactive.

They’d be top of my list too.

RozHuntleysStump · 20/01/2022 22:35

I wish this would happen to me.

ChipButtyCurrySauce · 20/01/2022 22:36

I used to live in the same street as a fire station. We'd often get firemen posting notes through the door saying they'd like to hear from us if we decided to sell. We just binned the letters as we had no plans to move. Don't see the problem.

Janedownourlane · 20/01/2022 22:36

Its how we bought one of our houses. The house owner was on the phone minutes after they received our note apparently, they were about to market the house although we didnt know it. Saved them all the estate agents fees too.

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 20/01/2022 22:36

I've had similar notes. I live close to a good school which is oversubscribed. Parents are keen to move here to have a better chance of getting into the school. I'm not interested in moving, so I just bin the notes.

PurplePeculiar · 20/01/2022 22:36

Oh wow I'd love this. You'd get more than market value with no hassles. I think it was very respectful and not in the least cheeky

ElephantOfRisk · 20/01/2022 22:37

We get these quite regularly and neighbours have sold their house via this method too.

I don't have a problem with it and would consider it if we were interested in selling.

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