While a strong offer to purchase can help you get the home of your dreams, in today’s real estate market there’s more to buying a home beyond meeting or exceeding the asking price. Want to stand out among a sea of potential buyers? Consider including a personal letter so sellers can get to know you.
“When we’re doing the perfect offer package to present to a seller, there could be a bank draft for the deposit attached and a personal letter! A personal letter can be included in every offer, when in a competitive situation.”
What to include in a personal letter to sellers!
So, what do I include in the letter? Write a one-page letter describing how much you love the home and the neighbourhood. Ideally, the letter is hand-written (for a more personal touch) and mentions if you’re a first-time buyer—including a family photo with your children and pets shows this is where you want to raise your family.
“Talk about how you’ll be good neighbours, how you love what they’ve done with the house, and that it will be cherished and taken care of,” By putting a face to the name on the Agreement of Purchase and Sale can help swing the odds in your favour, by putting the personal touch to the letter.
“I’ve seen it work often, where the seller’s agent said, ‘Your letter really connected with the seller, and we felt you were the best fit for their home’.”
When visiting the home, if you spot a connection with the buyers—maybe they collect sports memorabilia like you do—it can be worth mentioning in your letter, too.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind for your personal letter:
• highlight your favourite parts of the home and things you may have in common;
• briefly mention your career and volunteerism;
• refer to specific places in their neighbourhood you can’t wait to visit and experience;
• include your history and sprinkle in some interesting facts; and
• the good intentions you have for their home.
Be sure to proofread the letter before giving it to your REALTOR®. Poor spelling and grammar could set a bad first impression.
Respect the boundaries
Always go through your REALTOR® if you want to attach a personal letter to your offer. Popping it into the sellers’ mailbox or ringing their bell can seem intrusive. Instead, ask your REALTOR® to get the seller’s agent to deliver it to the homeowners.
“It’s important not to overstep the boundary of the relationship between the seller and their REALTOR®. Don’t try connecting directly with the seller on social media, either.”
Go one step further with a video
Recording a short video lets the Seller’s see who you, are along with your personal letter. By asking the sellers to let you have their home because it is the right place for you, will help the seller’s see your love for their property.
But it can be more complicated to get a video to the sellers, especially if the listing agent is not tech savvy. Asking your Realtor to find out if this is an option will prevent a lot of unnecessary work.
Being able to tell your story to a seller just might get their attention enough to consider your offer over others. Working with your REALTOR® can help you get the keys to your forever home.
The article above is for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal or other advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind!
