In a competitive market, your cash payment and non-contingent offer may not cut it. Should you reach out to the seller with a letter? Will it help make you stand out among the other offers they’ve already received?
If you’re a Southern Maryland buyer wondering if this unconventional means of reaching out to the seller could work for you, the answer is … Maybe. Before you send a letter, consider the context. When it works, writing a letter to the seller can really set you apart from other buyers. There are plenty of situations, though, where your letter won’t make much of a difference.
If you choose to write a letter, here are some key points to consider.
Who is your audience?
Who is the seller in this situation? If you love the home and want to put your best offer forward, you need to learn as much as possible about the seller. How? Your agent is the best possible bridge you have to them and their lives. Your agent can speak to the seller’s agent to learn more about who they are, where they’re from, why they are selling, etc. Social media and a Google search can also have to gain some additional insight. The more you know about the seller, the easier it will be for you to reach out to them in a compelling letter.
Make an appeal to longer term owners
Southern Maryland sellers with families are usually a better audience when it comes to writing a letter. They have lived in the home for years, built memories with their kids, and have emotional ties to the house you’re interested in. Eliciting positive emotions in your letter can be helpful. These types of sellers want to know more about their buyers. They want to know who will live in their home and make new memories there. Tell them about yourself and your family and how long you plan to live in the house. You can make an emotional appeal in a heartfelt letter. Tell them you don’t plan to demolish the home but rather to live there for years. These positive emotions can build a tie with the seller.
Don’t waste your time if you’re dealing with investors
If the owner of the home has been using it as a rental property, a letter isn’t likely to do much good because they’re not as emotionally attached to the house. Investors typically care about the bottom line. In this case, bypass the letter and submit the best offer you can.
Build a connection
Do whatever you can to connect with the seller. While you’re at the open house, look at the art or decorations on the walls and furniture. Any connection you can make between yourself and the seller will help. What do you have in common?
When you connect, you learn who they are and what they like. If the seller is present at the open house, ask about trophies or memorabilia in the home that seems to be meaningful to them. Discuss shared interests like sports, art, work, or hobbies. These ties may help make you memorable to the seller.
In competitive situations, you have to sell yourself as a buyer. If you’re planning to write a letter to the seller, take notes, learn who the seller is, and do your research. With the right seller, a compelling, well-written letter to the seller can be what pushes you over the top and into your new home.
Mechanicsville MD Homes for Sale and Real Estate Services in Southern Maryland. You now have a search engine to help you with your Southern Maryland home search! And I’m ready to provide you with a custom home valuation if you’re considering selling your home. Let’s connect to discuss how I can help you. Contact Kimberly Bean at 301-440-1309
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