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Original poster

Should I put a note through the door of the house I want to buy?

263 replies

Fourthmusketeer · 09/01/2025 20:34

Is this a weird thing to do?

Our house isn't actually on the market yet, as we don't want to do that until we find another house we like. They so rarely come up - I've been looking for a year now and just nothing is quite suitable. But, there's a house I've loved for years. I just love everything about it. It's the perfect location, great size, perfect layout for us (DH is quite particular). It's a beautiful house. Once I'd looked it up on Rightmove I fell in love with it even more.

The current owners bought the house in 2021, so it's probably unlikely they'd be looking to sell. But, you never know?

Is it weird to put a note through their door to find out? Do I keep it fairly simple? So...don't let on how much I love their house and how I've admired it for years? 🤣😬

There is of course a chance they contact us off the back of the note, allow us to view their property, and then once we actually see it we decide it's not what we thought. That feels really awkward...having contacted them to begin with 🫣

I'm not sure how much it would be worth now. It was close to the top of our price range back in 2021, but I'm not sure whether COVID skewed values somewhat?

Thanks!

OP posts:
2andadog · 17/01/2025 14:21

Trixiefirecracker · 16/01/2025 18:37

They don’t have the automatic right to know and if the owner of the property wants to ignore the note through the door, then that’s their prerogative. Absolutely no harm done. How persuasive can you actually be via a polite note, which is what 90% of the posters are suggesting is acceptable. Your paranoia that someone is going to rock up and demand someone sell their property to them in a threatening manner is a little extreme. No one is expecting the OP to hold these people to ransom, it’s just a simple enquiry. Most normal people would not feel threatened or upset by this if done in a respectful manner. I’m not sure why you insist otherwise. You seem to inhabit a world where it’s always the worst case scenario and everyone has an ulterior, more sinister agenda. The homeowner, if indeed they want to sell, can actually benefit from not paying an extortionate fee to the estate agent middle man, you do know this is possible and can save a lot of money? That is not one sided at all! Huge benefits not having to keep your home pristine, have all the photos done, spend money on the spec and floor plans, have people traipsing through every minute, feeling let down when people don’t like it etc. Selling a house is a pain in the arse so I would be overjoyed to take the months of waiting and cleaning and tidying and disappointment out of the equation. There are many ways to do this safely without estate agents, you can actually agree a price you are both happy with and go forward with the sale. I don’t understand why you always seem to be spouting the worst case scenarios, thats not a healthy way to view the world. Not everyone is out to get you. 😁

Show quote history

Exactly this. We are contemplating moving in the next 6-12months, we have completely renovated our house top to toe.

If someone put a note through our door now, we'd let them know this, get an valuation and put the wheels in motion with them selling theirs and us looking for somewhere else to go... it would save us a wedge of cash and would mean they get to live somewhere they want to live with minimal hassle/perhaps having paid a bit higher because it's something they specifically want.

I've sold properties through agents where i've been messed around/they haven't qualified people properly/they've been time wasters, so I would LOVE this to happen to us knowing someone loves the house/area enough to really want to live there! However, we are more likely to be the note putters soon, so no doubt will be terrorising our potential new neighbours 😉

Donsyb · 17/01/2025 16:58

MyDeepZebra · 09/01/2025 21:02

She was odd.

I jokingly mentioned it afterwards and she seriously responded, "well, we're over it now but it was very upsetting at the time as we'd had our hearts set on it."

I honestly didn't know how to respond.

Edited
Show quote history

I would have said “ my heart is also set on it which is why I didn’t sell it to you!”

Middleagedspreadisreal · 18/01/2025 16:59

You can't put an offer in on something if yours isn't on the market, sorry

CellophaneFlower · 18/01/2025 17:07

Middleagedspreadisreal · 18/01/2025 16:59

You can't put an offer in on something if yours isn't on the market, sorry

She can do as she likes, no need to apologise.

Middleagedspreadisreal · 18/01/2025 18:34

CellophaneFlower · 18/01/2025 17:07

She can do as she likes, no need to apologise.

Show quote history

She actually can't. No estate agent will accept an offer on a house unless yours is up for sale.

CellophaneFlower · 18/01/2025 18:44

Middleagedspreadisreal · 18/01/2025 18:34

She actually can't. No estate agent will accept an offer on a house unless yours is up for sale.

Show quote history

It isn't on with an Estate Agent. Have you even read the OP?

CellophaneFlower · 18/01/2025 18:45

Your comment isn't true anyway. A vendor can accept any offer they like and the EA is obliged to pass it on, whether proceedable or not.

Gingerbreadhouse1 · 18/01/2025 22:10

Approx 10yrs ago my parents received a handwritten letter from a couple who were looking to move into their street. My mum was rather taken back by how nice the letter was and kept the letter ‘just incase’ (at the time there was no scope or desire to move) fast forward many years later my mum emailed the couple to say they would be putting the house on the market if they were interested.

The original couple replied with thanks but had purchased their forever home not too far from my parents however they passed the details onto their friends who ended up buying it (the house did go onto the market too)

I would just go for it personally, you have nothing to lose and a gorgeous house to gain! If not now, in the future.

good luck!

Middleagedspreadisreal · 19/01/2025 15:51

CellophaneFlower · 18/01/2025 18:44

It isn't on with an Estate Agent. Have you even read the OP?

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Yes

CellophaneFlower · 19/01/2025 16:31

Middleagedspreadisreal · 19/01/2025 15:51

Yes

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Why are you saying an EA won't accept her offer then?

Notadream · 19/01/2025 21:46

abracadabra1980 · 09/01/2025 20:58

I got these at least twice a year until recently when the market has stagnated. I don't think it's weird at all. I do live in an area for excellent schools and there are always families wanting to be in the catchment area.

Me too, I used to get them on the regular until the school got downgraded by offstead.

Nat6999 · 20/01/2025 05:31

I'm thinking of doing it when I'm in a position to buy. I would love to buy back the house I owned when I was married, I loved the house & it broke my heart when I sold it.

deeahgwitch · 20/01/2025 09:10

Nat6999 · 20/01/2025 05:31

I'm thinking of doing it when I'm in a position to buy. I would love to buy back the house I owned when I was married, I loved the house & it broke my heart when I sold it.

I hope you get it

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