When you’re a buyer in a seller’s market, you need to find ways to make your offer stand out from competing offers. One way that a buyer can help distinguish themselves to the seller of a home is by writing a buyer’s letter.
A buyer’s letter is a simple personal note that helps your offer stand out in the seller’s mind. It helps the home seller put a human face to the offer, and can even help you win out over larger offers if it creates a strong emotional connection with the home seller.
Things to consider including in your buyer letter:
- Your name(s)
- Your current career and background in a few words
- If partners, include how you both met
- Any common ground you discovered while walking through the home
- Reasons why you’re interested in the property (“perfect place to raise a family,” etc.)
Remember as you write to keep the seller’s perspective in focus. It’s likely the sellers will enjoy hearing praise for the things you love about their home, and praise for how well they took care of the property. They may also find it reassuring to hear that you plan to take good care of the property, keeping up with maintenance and repairs.
The seller will likely not be interested in hearing you tell them how “generous” your offer is. Do not try this or other hardball negotiating tactics in your buyer’s letter.
Talk about how you picture yourself using the space — if you know the seller likes dogs, you could describe where your dog’s bed is likely to go. If you and the seller share a hobby, consider including ways you envision storing collections or otherwise dedicating an area of the home to your passion.
Consider leaving out any talk of remodeling plans. This could be a home that the seller lived in for decades. It could even be the home of a recently deceased family member. Your specific plans for drastically changing a space aren’t relevant or interesting to a home seller.
How to close your buyer’s letter
Close your buyer’s letter by thanking the home seller for their time, and thank them for considering you as the new owners of their beautiful home.
Ending your letter with a nice photograph of you, your partner, and family can help a home seller place faces to your names.
While making offers on homes, ask your real estate agent about writing a buyer’s letter. Your agent can read your letter and suggest removal of any text that could repel the seller while suggesting additions that can help make your offer more persuasive.
Here’s wishing you good luck in your bid to win your dream home!
