Is trying to find house via flyerinf embarrassing?

[redshoes22]

We’re under offer and there are no houses for sale in our area.

I’m considering flyering but we live in a small town and want to stay in the same neighbourhood. The thought makes me cringe, like I’m sending begging letters and intruding. But I’m so desperate to find something nice, but can’t bear to look desperate to my neighbours 🙈😅

Have you filtered before. How long did it take you to get replies. Did anyone get annoyed with you for intruding on their privacy? Can you sign off with alias? 😬 which group do you think are most likely to sell?

I get a bit irritated with it. I've had multiple letters and flyers through my door and it's because my property looks very desirable and is in an area people see as up and coming. It feels a bit like the vampires at the door to be honest!

But you’d not put flyers through your neighbours doors? Surely?

I mean do you want to sell and move next door?

Haha no I mean neighbours as in locality, the part of our small town not little street. But again it’s small town so I don’t have anonymity of a city

We did it, even put a photo of ourselves as a lovely family hoping to move to the area. We actually got a lot more responses than I was expecting - mostly saying we aren’t planning on selling but good luck. A couple interested but they didn’t end up being right in the end.

Yes it felt weird, uncomfortable & awkward but we wanted to find a house!

I think it's fine... as long as it's worded correctly and generic. Sometimes people pop a letter through implying that it's only that specific house they're interested in and how much they like it etc... but it's clearly been photocopied and sent to multiple. That I find cringe. Just keep it to the point, don't gush and thank them for reading your note. You've nothing to lose. Personally I'd quite like to know somebody wanted my house, and if I'm not interested in selling it would just go in the bin, no big deal. Perhaps just sign off with your first name and give an email address (without your surname in it!).

We'd be interested if someone did this. And wouldn't find it worrying or embarrassing. If we weren't interested we'd just bin it or reply politely.

The housing market where we are is really still a bit mad so I'd understand it.

We sold privately to the son of the first estate agent who came round to value ours. We knew them through our in laws. Small town.

We sold a house to someone who put a letter though the door. I think it’s fine

I bought my house this way, I knew it was in probate and wanted to buy before it went on the open market

I wouldn't be put off by this as long as it was polite and friendly- if the market is busy where you are people will understand, and if they're not interested they can easily throw the flyer away. As a seller I'd take comfort from the fact that you're procedable, organised, and clearly not a time waster. I'd set up a specific email for the purpose though, one that doesn't give any of your personal info away.

Thanks all 😊 I posted one through the door of an empty house (chaps moved into care home) where relatives come to pick up the Mail. I saw a neighbour go in and collect the mail on Sunday. Fingers crossed but not expecting anything.

I felt like a teenager on an Avon round approaching the door with my little note 🤣😩

I would certainly do it without a qualm. Good luck OP.

I’ve had a couple of notes through my door from people interested in buying my house. I just discarded them as we aren’t selling, didn’t find it rude or intrusive.
Once I gave something away free on Facebook and the person collecting asked if I was planning to sell my house, that felt a bit odd as it was unexpected.

I bought my house this way, I knew it was in probate and wanted to buy before it went on the open market

We sold my dmil’s house this way. We were going through probate at the time and someone put their details through the door. The house was in the catchment for one of the best primary schools in the area and on a highly sort after road. The family in question took the initiative to contact us before we put it on the market as they really wanted something on that road. And fair play to them. It was a very stress free process, and the buyers were very easy to deal with.

I think it’s fine. We recently received a note through our door to this effect (looked like we weren’t the only ones) and I felt quite flattered and pleased to own my desirable house!
DH and I considered doing this ourselves once, too... but then didn’t need to.
It may or may not prove fruitful, but people can just chuck it in the bin if not interested, no harm done.

Nothing to lose I suppose. I’ve had letters like this and I just ignore them. The only thing is, if the area is desirable and houses are in demand, most people planning to sell might prefer to list on the open market to get the best possible price. So the only people likely to accept your offer would have to be planning to sell, and more interested in a quick sale than the best price.

The family may not be able to sell if they've not got lasting power, getting permission to sell if they lack capacity is torturous and you could be looking at well over a year for them to be in a position to sell (source: a good friend who is stuck with a DM in long term care and no permission to sell after 2 years due to the court of protection being slow and inefficient)

I'd assume that it was some sort of equity release scam tbh

I’ve had this a lot in the past and found it absolutely bizarre. Who decides to sell their house on this basis?! In almost all circumstances people sell because they are already moving surely. However, from this thread I do see now that there might be limited circumstances where you might get lucky eg house under probate.