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Original poster

Has anyone been successful buying a house following leafleting an area?

27 replies

slackrunner · 14/05/2009 20:06

There's so little stock on the market that I was wondering about leafleting letter boxes to say that we could be interested in buying the house. I'm not sure whether this is a good plan in the current climate, as we'd not be prepared to pay daft money for a place, and this could create the impression that we're desperado.

Anyone had any success doing this?

OP posts:
lalalonglegs · 14/05/2009 22:06

Yes, my parents did this in a very small block of flats (20 apartments in total) - they got two responses and bought one of them. I am considering doing it next year if prices keep edging down.

I think if you keep the letter polite and just explain why you want to live in the area you are leafleting (I would say something like, "We are really keen to move to this area because xxxx. We realise that some people that live here may want to move but be put off as houses are proving so difficult to sell..." If you can accentuate the positive - you are chain-free or whatever - I would add that. As for price, if they ask for something ridiculous just say no thank you.

Elibean · 14/05/2009 22:18

A friend of a friend's did just that with ONE house she'd loved for years - the people had been considering moving, and sold it to her for a very good price.

Am beginning to wonder if we should do this too...

WillowMother · 14/05/2009 22:23

Ohhh this is interesting - have a 2nd viewing lined up this w/e so if we get an offer I may follow your idea of leafletting areas we are interested in!!

Nappyzoneisabeetrootrunner · 14/05/2009 22:24

Not an entire road just a house we saw for sale earlier inthe year then when we sold ours it wasnt anymore and we didnt like anythig else so we wrote the nice man a nice letter and he wrote us one back and we now live in said house - we also got it cheaper as he didnt have his estate agent fees etc..

Original poster
slackrunner · 14/05/2009 22:32

Thanks for the responses - I'm now feeling inspired to do this. I guess it's a game of numbers - flyer 50 houses, maybe get 5 responses, and hopefully end up with one that works out for us.

Will keep you posted

OP posts:
Mins · 14/05/2009 22:35

We just leafletted lots of houses in a village we want to move to where there is very little on the market. I had two calls - one about a house which was just too expensive and another which we viewed a couple of days ago. It seemed a possible but the vendor has just had it valued by two local EA's for what we think is a very high price (we saw a very similar but bigger house on the same road recently which was on for much less!) We are probably going to say no as it's much smaller than we need and if we pay what the vendor has suggested then we won't have enough money to extend. Am still hoping we may get some more response to our leaflets though.

Mins · 14/05/2009 22:35

We just leafletted lots of houses in a village we want to move to where there is very little on the market. I had two calls - one about a house which was just too expensive and another which we viewed a couple of days ago. It seemed a possible but the vendor has just had it valued by two local EA's for what we think is a very high price (we saw a very similar but bigger house on the same road recently which was on for much less!) We are probably going to say no as it's much smaller than we need and if we pay what the vendor has suggested then we won't have enough money to extend. Am still hoping we may get some more response to our leaflets though.

Sorrento · 15/05/2009 09:06

I do think it puts you in a weak position with regards to price though. Good luck

nowwearefour · 17/05/2009 19:14

we sold to a leafleting and my friend has bought the only 2 houses she has ever owned this way. so it definitely can work! all the best with it....

smurfgirl · 17/05/2009 19:19

We get leafletted quite a lot and I think if we were looking to sell I would seriously consider one of them. So go for it.

We don't live in a nice area or anything - lots of students and cheap houses mean people want to buy!!

MizZan · 17/05/2009 20:06

We are thinking of doing this but I'm curious about how people set expectations re your budget, when doing this? We live in an area where a number of people have put houses on the market at quite high prices and then pulled them off instead of lowering. The houses are all slightly different and they don't come up for sale all that often, and they have hardly been affected by the crash so far. I'm just wary of wasting time when our budget is X and we think a house of a certain size in this area is worth X, but most owners think it's worth 25% more. I'm also wary of indicating on a leaflet that our budget is X, when we might be willing to pay that for a large semi-detached but wouldn't be open to paying it for a smaller terraced one (but would be open to buying a smaller terraced one for a lower price).

Mins · 18/05/2009 12:24

Hi Mizzan

Can't really answer your question but we had exactly the same problem. We leafleted houses but went on external appearance and apparent size, we didn't put our budget on the leaflet for the reasons you mention. We had two calls - one for a house which initially seemed far too expensive but which we are now maybe considering due to the lack of anything else suitable in the area and another one which is really too small for us and I think the vendor maybe wants more money for it than it is actually worth in the current market. Other than the fact that the vendor would not have to pay EA fees though it does put you in a weaker negotiating position I think . Do let us know how you get on though and good luck.

K75 · 18/05/2009 14:01

Yes, successfully twice. First for 2 bed flat then a few years later for 4 bed house. I think you need to be pretty specific about the streets you want and type of property and leave some out if too small/big. You will get the odd surprise. First time got 4 responses and loved only one, which we managed to get. Seller avoids estate agent fees remember. Second one about 6 responses, 3 unsuitable; 3 good, one a bit over our budget and all done up; one in a real state and one in the middle which we went with. Second time nearly got gazzumped by someone else doing same thing!! (2007); I think when we first did it (2003) noone really did it.

Hope that helps.

fircone · 18/05/2009 14:09

We have received two letters through the door, one addressed to us personally, which was a bit spooky. I think it's because we have the smallest house in a posh road, so people are able to afford this one!

We aren't considering selling atm, but the one letter to which I would have responded was the one which stated how serious they were, that they were cash buyers, and gave the details of their solicitor for verification of their financial position. I think this last point is important, otherwise you could be any old chancer, or someone who hasn't even put their house on the market yet etc etc.

ajandjjmum · 18/05/2009 14:12

We dropped notes into 6 houses that we liked, and had a call from an agent to say that he'd put the 'For Sale' board up that morning on one of them.

That was 13 years ago, and we're still living there.

FrankMustard · 18/05/2009 14:13

yes, my best friend found a house on her dream road by posting leaflets through the door saying she was keen to buy on the road.
The woman she bought from wasn't even going to go on the market but when the leqaflet came through it make her rethink her own life and needs and she decided to sell purely based on fact my friend was ready and waiting!

schminkypink · 13/02/2011 21:44

About to do this and would so grateful for tips on wording our leaflet. Will include our solicitors details as suggested, but what else? Any ideas welcomed.

figcake · 14/02/2011 14:30

I hand wrote a few letters begging people to sell to me (at the peak of the market) and did not hear back Blush

I have recd all manner of offers for my house until this year, that is, when I am finally desperate to go

figcake · 14/02/2011 14:31

meant flyers and letters - not estate agents offers

BoffinMum · 14/02/2011 14:33

We tried this in 2004 and were shown a lovely one that was not officially on the market. It wasn't quite what we wanted but interesting nonetheless.

minipie · 14/02/2011 18:12

DH and I tried this last year (leafleted three particular roads in SW london).

We had one response - and she decided to rent.

We are still looking Sad.

SpringHeeledJack · 14/02/2011 21:59
Changeisagoodthing · 14/02/2011 22:02

My sil bought one this way.

Leafleted a road.

One was empty- death- no close relatives. Post was sent to solicitor who contacted them.

Menagerie · 15/02/2011 13:14

We leafleted one house as we were in love with it from the outside for months. They were just about to put it on the market so it seemed like fate. But inside - although it was absolutely beautiful, it was too small. Still got my eye on it for retirement though...

NancyDrewHadaClue · 15/02/2011 13:21

An ex colleague of mine lived in a beautiful house on a beautiful road and every year on a specific date he recieved a very charming letter from someone who wanted to buy the house for their daughter.

He declined for 17 years but I believe they got it in the end!