Should I contact estate agent or put flyers through door?

[StuckInARug]

We are house hunting but our search area is so limited as we don’t want to move the kids’ school. There is a house that was on the market earlier this year but has been taken off the market as it didn’t sell and then the owners decided to stay put. We weren’t in a position to move then but we are now. Should we contact the estate agents to put in a word with the seller to see if they’re still interested in selling? Or should we write a note to the sellers and put it through their house (as for all we know they may not have a contract with that estate agent anymore)?

Should we go a step further and do notes for all the houses on that road on the off chance they might be interested in selling?

If it was me, I’d post a polite note through the door of the seller. If I didn’t get a response within a couple of weeks, I possibly would then post notes for the other houses. Good luck

Note through the door definitely - any contract still with the EA is up to them to honour (or not) and absolutely flyer others in the street I know quite a few people who have found this way. We did it when we last moved and viewed 2 houses that way, didn't buy either as they both wanted silly money but it got us in the door and a response. I would say if you can be flexible on timings and happy to wait for them to find - this will be very important if you want to catch the eye of someone who isn't even on the market yet - plus of course financial savings of not using an EA.

I put a note through the door of a house that had been up for sale previously and they invited us to view. Unfortunately it wasn't right for us so went no further.

I also wrote notes for 2 other houses I liked the look of but decided not to post them. Coincidentally 3 months later one has come on the market and we have just had an offer accepted on it.

Thanks all, I’ll take your advice and write a very nice, polite note to them! Not holding my breath but who knows!