Should Home Buyers Write Love Letters to Sellers?

Should buyers write letters to home sellers?

In a hot real estate market, buyers sometimes feel tempted to include a letter with their offer. It's a way to express their love for the house and their desire to turn it into a home of their own.

Agents often encourage this letter-writing campaign, suggesting it as a method to make your offer stand out amidst multiple offers.

The good

Writing a letter to a homeowner helps humanize you as buyers in the eyes of the seller. It transforms you from just a name on a purchase agreement into a real, live person or family. Making yourself stand out from the crowd can't be a bad thing, right? Read on.

The bad

Including photos and personal information in your letter is a potential Fair Housing violation. If a seller based their decision on anything related to a protected class (race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin), it could lead to trouble.

A responsible agent shouldn't encourage you to offer information that might be used for discrimination. An even more cautious listing agent would refuse to accept or present the letter, avoiding any appearance of impropriety. We strongly advise against participating in this practice, as fair housing violations can result in hefty penalties starting from $10,000.

How can you make your offer stand out?

If you know you'll be competing with other buyers, focus on writing the strongest offer right from the start. In the end, the bottom line is the only thing the seller should consider.