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Original poster

If someone put a note through your door saying they water to buy your house....

26 replies

mckenzie · 03/11/2012 14:41

.. and you were perhaps thinking about selling, what would the note need to say to make you contact the sender?

We have identified a few roads that we would like to live on but know from asking around and watching the market that houses on these roads come on the market very rarely. So, I thought I'd be proactive and go for the direct approach but trying to word the letter and present it so that it gets noticed and read is proving difficult.

Any ideas greatly received.
TIA

OP posts:
NickNacks · 03/11/2012 14:43

Kirsty and Phil do it so why not...?

stayathomegardener · 03/11/2012 14:44

Flattery-We have always admired your house type of thing

SophiesMummySaid · 03/11/2012 14:52

It would have to be personal, so I didn't think it was an agent in disguise.
It may be an idea to suggest an informal chat, before deciding whether to proceed with a viewing. If their house isn't on the market, they've not fully comitted yet, so need not to feel obligated at first meeting.

Eg,
Hi, We are Kirsty and Phil. We are looking to move into the area, specifically, your road (name). We know homes rarely come onto the market on your road so that's why we're taking the direct approach. If you think you may be interested in selling in the near future call us on xxxxx for an informal chat about whether we may be interested in your property before moving forward.

fussychica · 03/11/2012 14:54

I know someone who did this - it was the road rather than the house they were keen on - a bit like the 19 street thing on Kirstie & Phil - anyway they came a bit unstuck as they landed up paying more than they really wanted for a house that landed up having lots of issues they hadn't picked up in their excitment of getting a response.
However, I'd do it if I had done plenty of homework so I knew what a fair price would be. As to wording - agree that's pretty difficult - is there an example on the location website or elsewhere?

BooyhooRemembering · 03/11/2012 14:56

if someone put a note through my door saying they wanted to buy my house and i was already thinking of selling. they would just have to say "i'm thinking of buying your house. if you would be interested in selling please contact me on...."

if you're already considering selling then they dont really need to flatter you, get in touch arrange a viewing and take it from there.

ChippingInLovesAutumn · 03/11/2012 15:11

Pretty much what SophiesMummy said and yes, if I was thinking about it I would call you.

upinthehills · 03/11/2012 15:17

I would buy a job lot of nice but cheap cards and hand write one for each house.

Some people will may take offence though - thinking of the scenario of an elderly couple or widow who may be upset that you are eyeing up their house.

BrandyAlexander · 03/11/2012 15:43

We get this all the time but we aren't ready to sell so to date nothing has caught our eye and made us want to listen an offer. The letters usually come from estate agents though so maybe that's why we ignore prob not very helpful but my 2 tips are don't take it personally if you font get a response and personal approach probably best!

Trills · 03/11/2012 15:46

What Booyhoo said.

If I was thinking of selling it would just have to say "Are you thinking of selling? I want to buy your house or one like it. My phone number is..."

If I wasn't thinking of selling I'm not sure what would persuade me to start thinking, unless it was "I have more money than sense and would like to pay over the odds for your house because my great granny was born on this street and I have sentimental reasons for wanting to give you a big pile of money".

BetsyBlingtastic · 03/11/2012 15:59

If you could demonstarte your sincere intentions by showing that you had put your own house on the market, that would make me think favourably towards you.

7to25 · 03/11/2012 15:59

I am surrounded by elderly widows in huge stone houses. they want to sell but are frightened of the process and the fact that they do not want strangers going round their houses.
I think that you have to appear genuine, perhaps the female partner should write it from the view of her family, ie "we want to send our children to St. Oswald's school" or suchlike.
Give an address and phone number so that they can check you out. Explain that you are a family and not a developer or an Estate Agent. Hand write the note. Many elderly people do not do email. If you go have a local connection that they could check out, then put it in the letter ie being the local brownie leader.
Emphasise your bona fides and good luck!

ivykaty44 · 03/11/2012 16:04

Use bold lettering for the type that you feel is important, and say best wishes and thank them for reading the note.

Or better still hand write the letters so that they are not seen as junk mail

pippop1 · 03/11/2012 16:14

I'd put your landline number (as well as a mobile) number as a contact and also sign it "Jane & Peter Smith". You could also put your current address. You need to come over as v v honest as otherwise potential sellers may think you are just wanting to see the house before burgling it!

No point in putting that you've always admired their house as neighbours talk to each other and if ten of them get a similar note it doesn't seem selective enough. We did this years ago and saw a couple of houses but didn't end up buying any of them.

Make sure you use an envelope and handwrite the address even though you don't know the occupiers' names. Never put "The Occupiers" just put "to number 33, Coronation Street" and "By hand" on the envelope.

Maybe you can mention about saving estate agents fees which are around 1 or 2% where I live.

FellatioNelson · 03/11/2012 16:16

I have done that before and got replies almost immediately, from two houses next door but one to one another! It is well worth a try. Anyone who may be thinking of selling will be tempted by not needing to pay agents fees.

Original poster
mckenzie · 03/11/2012 17:58

thanks very much for all the replies Smile. i think i will spend a bit of time looking more carefully at the actual houses and doing hand written notes to the specific ones that look like they will be suitable for us. I really appreciate your comments everyone. Thanks again.

OP posts:
Original poster
mckenzie · 04/11/2012 10:27

I've only just spotted the mistake on the title line Smile.

OP posts:
Trills · 04/11/2012 11:32

We've all been very kind not saying "actually I'd want money in return for my house, not just water" :o

stoatie · 04/11/2012 18:20

Think it will just depend on the owners to be honest. We appear to live in a very desirable street (didn't know at time we moved in as we didn't know the area- however house we bought had only just gone on market........)

We have leaflets like this through our door on a very regular basis (probably monthly). However very few people move in our street and when houses do go on market they sell immediately - one opposite went on market at weekend and was sold by mid week.

A lot of people (us included) choose to extend (3 bed semi's with lovely long gardens) rather than move to more expensive housing as we are local to all amenities (can walk to schools, shops, park and leisure centre, hospital etc).

Most of the leaflets we get are from estate agents and to be honest go straight in the recycling - one however was a personalised leaflet and it did catch my attention, although we decided not to move - maybe giving an indication of your budget might help?

FrightRunScream · 04/11/2012 18:22

Worked for a collegue.

cavell · 04/11/2012 19:03

We gets lots of letters like this from estate agents : "we have people on our books who want to buy a house in your road" - that kind of thing. there letters go straight in the bin.
But I would be overjoyed to get a letter like this from a genuine buyer. So that's what the letter would have to demonstate: that a real person/real people are interested, with maybe a brief explanation as to why -e.g "a quiet cul de sac convenient for x school/the railway station/my elderly mother/ whatever). And perhaps some indication that they would be able to proceed should the house itself prove to be suitable.

cavell · 04/11/2012 19:04

These letters go straight in the bin.

Original poster
mckenzie · 04/11/2012 21:09

thanks for the extra replies. DD isn't back to school until tuesday so she and i are going to go and do some detective work tomorrow (she doesn't know that yet Wink and then i'll get writing some cards and delivering to the houses that I think are suitable.

OP posts:
ILoveOnionRings · 17/11/2012 16:59

It worked for my BIL

mrsmandm · 17/11/2012 22:53

Didn't work for us, got a reply but they knew we really wanted their house so asked for another £30k two months after agreeing a price and progressing on sale. We walked away

nancy75 · 17/11/2012 23:04

My parents did this years ago and did end up buying a house as a result, it can't hurt to try, I agree with others, make it personal so that your note stands out from the estate agent letters