"Dear Seller" letter - what to say?

[sianihedgehog]

Hi all, my partner and I are still continuing our desperate quest to buy a house in a wildly overheated market, and are now including cover letters with our offers. We've seen a house that we absolutely love and will be making an offer, but I thought I'd ask for some advice on what to include in our cover letter. I've had a good look online, but everything I can find is awfully American.

What could I put in my letter that might make you, as a seller, choose my offer?

[Mintyy]

I would always be swayed by a buyer who promised to keep the front garden (including beautiful tree) intact and not concrete it over for parking, despite parking being a bit patchy on our street.

[Pipbin]

I'm actually shocked how many other posters don't care at all about their communities or their ex-communities and just want as much personal cash as possible

My house sold to the first firm offer in 6 months for the minimum that we could afford to sell it for. One of the reasons we were moving was because of problems with our neighbours both directly to both sides and over the road.
So I didn't sell for as much cash as I could and I doubt the drug dealers really cared much.

[DicteSvendsen]

Well, if you can afford to lose a few thousand here or there, that's nice, but most people can't move on to the next stage if they relinquish a few grand along the way to nice people.

[museumum]

I'm actually shocked how many other posters don't care at all about their communities or their ex-communities and just want as much personal cash as possible ??

[museumum]

We sold to a couple instead of a developer as we are staying in the area and there are already too many shared student flats around here.

[Apatite1]

We sold our flat to a lovely couple who had been desperate to stay in the area, and moved into rented earlier than expected. We accepted £2k less than the highest offer from a BTL landlord. They sent a letter and I'm a soft touch so it worked.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

No not a typo. They did bid £25K for a £1000000+ estate. It was during the recession in the early 90s. We were moving because dp commute was 2 hours each way. Apparently some bright spark had told them that anyone who had a property up for sale was about to be repossessed.

[fleurdelacourt]

OP I wouldn't send it. Buying and selling houses is a financial transaction. They only need the details of what you are offering and what your current position is. Being a young family is of no relevance to this at all.

I'm with those who have said that a letter like this might even put me off. I have no desire to strike up a personal relationship with buyers.

[sianihedgehog]

Thanks very much everyone for your comments and suggestions. The letter is written and signed and in our offer to be handed over today.
I've put all the stuff about how flexible and prepared we are at the very start, and a single sentence about how much we liked the house and the things we liked at the end, and I've included a copy of our decision in principle. The EA has an offer from which doesn't include some of the information (like being in rented and flexible about closing dates) that I think makes us appealing so I think it's really worth including the letter, but I've tried to make it friendly but businesslike so as to avoid anyone being put off by too much American style gushing!

[Moreisnnogedag]

£25,000? Surely that's a typo. Nobody could honestly think anyone would sell at that price anywhere.

OP you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by writing a letter. I think that being able to proceed at sellers pace is the biggest plus actually. Who wants to accept a higher bid but have it dragged out costing more in the end?

[Oliversmumsarmy]

The top 2 reasons a FTB has pulled out, sometimes on the day of exchange, are they are scared of the commitment or the fact they think they can afford something better if they save a little more. Most lose thousands in mortgage arrangement fees surveyors and solicitors fees.

Oh and I did get one couple who on the day of exchange decided to reduce their offer to £25000, £125000 less for our 3 bed detached house because someone had told them that anyone selling a house was going bankrupt so would be grateful of the offer. Later we found out they had been banned from whole towns of EA as they had been viewing million pound country estates and offering £25000.

[bishboschone]

I sold my mums old house last year , I tried my hardest to sell it to a nice family .. I grew up there and mum and dad owned it for 40 years so it meant a lot to all of us ... In the end some entitled dicks bought it but I really did try not to sell it to them .. If I had a choice I would have sold it to the nicest people and a heartfelt letter would have helped .

[Woozlebear]

Amazed by the numbers of people saying it's all about the money, letter irrelevant etc.

We have been forced by the top of a chain we were in into accepting the third highest offer on our house - a loss of 25k to us - because those bidders were in the best position for the needs of the rest of the chain (speed).

The people we are hopefully buying off at the moment were the highest bidders on their onward purchase but weren't originally accepted because they weren't in the best position.

'Proceedability' - that dread word- is often king, not money IME.

My experience is London and SE - different, I wonder?

[Pipbin]

Really? Is this a thing? I sold my house 2 years ago and I sold it to whoever offered the money. I gave not a shit who they were or why they were going to buy it.

That said the people we bought from sold us the house for below asking price because they liked us, in fact we are still friends!

[newstart15]

I think its the EA that needs to be influenced not the vendor.We saw a house with an elderly lady who was downsizing and she was very complimentary about us and we offered full asking.We had large deposit and no chain.The house eventually went to buyers who were selling through the agent, for 5k less than our offer, as they got both deals and were sure of the chain.

We were stalled by the agents who clearly did not want our bid to succeed (only learnt that later) so in my experience if you are in a competitive market no amount of vendor sentiment counts as the EAs advise the vendor on the best offer.

My sister also got the opportunity to bid on a house without competition on the condition she listed with the agent.I fear its common practice in an overheated market.

[DicteSvendsen]

Really, wonder why that happens?! do they feel that they're in such a good position they can just pull out the moment they see something they wish theyd spotted four months ago? Has that happened to you more than once Oliversmumsarmy?

[Oliversmumsarmy]

A letter would put me off completely, equally the fact that, I presume, you are first time buyers.

I have never managed to sell to a first time buyer yet. When an EA describes an offer is from someone who is in a great position as they have nothing to sell they are first time buyers my heart sinks as I know they will mess me around for 4 months then pull out. But I have probably bought and sold more properties than most so am more cynical than most.

[DicteSvendsen]

Also, IF you send the letter OP, say husband not partner. Roughly half of all co-habiting couples who have a baby split up within five years so if you're not married, don't make big claims about raising a family in their home. If you are married, say husband instead of partner. But to be frank the whole idea of selling yourself as more worthy recipients of the house because you are a young family would annoy me. Keep it financial I say. But what do I know, this is the first house I've owned, so I've never sold one..

[ChishandFips33]

Agree some will favour, some will ignore - think it's about being able to identify with the vendor.

Our vendor chose us because of the personal approach - there was a personal history to the house for her and she liked that we weren't going to rip things out and she liked us as people. She was also swayed because we were in a position to move at her pace and that she didn't have to continue with viewings and people ripping her home to bits via their feedback.
Go with your gut

[sianihedgehog]

Just making your offer the highest with the largest deposit is great, if you can definitely do that. We're not wealthy, and the market here is insane, so we don't have the ability to be sure we can do that.

We can sell ourselves on being straightforward and simple to deal with, well prepared, not developers or buy to let landlords, and on any emotional connection the seller has to their home, so that is going to have to do!!

Good tip on telling estate agents that we'll use their solicitors, thank you. I had picked up that they like if you will see their mortgage advisor, but I hadn't thought about the solicitor.

[FlappertyFlippers]

When I have bought a property I haven't included a letter. What I have done is to always try and speak to the estate agent in person and emphasise why we are the best candidates for them to put forward as their first choice. So that involved

1. Giving a good price. It's all about the money.
   
2. Emphasising that we are in a fantastic position for the buyer (able to move very quickly but equally able to wait it out, so you can work within the sellers timeframe)
   
3. Saying our finances are in order and offering to pop in with a bank statement showing you have deposit saved, etc. This proves you are serious.
   
4. Returning phone calls/ emails quickly and politely. This shows you are easy to work with.
   
5. Offering to use the solicitors the estate agents recommend (estate agents get a commission from them so will be more likely to view your offer in a positive light - it means more money for them)

[mysteryfairy]

When my sister sold her flat and it went to best and final offers she did pick an offer from people she liked over the actual best offer. However there was only a couple of hundred in it - doubt she would have been sentimental for 1000s.

But from reading this it looks like for everyone who would be sympathetic to a personal approach there is someone else who would be alienated. I would keep it factual to how you are in a good position - ready to move quickly and equally maybe willing to wait if they need a bit of time.

[DicteSvendsen]

do not say you're a young couple with a baby.

I'd feel slightly irritated by that! the entitlement, that by doing the conventional thing, getting hitched and procreating you were in need of a solid home. that the vendor should be glad there will be a family in their house?? I don't get that angle. A couple is a team and doesn't need a favour in the same way that a single person does, or a single parent with a family.

Maybe if you like some of the features, assure the seller they'd be staying.
Good idea to say you have a mortgage ready, and name your solicitor.

[beansagain]

Poor you, that sounds like a nightmare. You sound like a lovely buyer and I think that's half the battle for sellers. Even if the sellers don't recognise that, the agents will so hopefully it will all come good for you. I think the fact that you're expecting a baby is very persuasive as it means you have a deadline so are not going to mess around. Good luck and keep us posted.

[sianihedgehog]

Ooh, good point in the solicitor. We will name the solicitor we're using as well.