The Sentimental Way Unsellable Houses' Leslie Davis Says You Can Secure A Listing
The home-buying process is not for the faint of heart. There are many important factors to consider before you purchase a house, including price and location, the house's condition and whether renovations are needed, additional fees like HOA, and insurance costs. But once you find your perfect home, the most significant caveat is getting it. If you fall in love with a house and all of its features (and flaws, too), it's likely that someone else will feel the same. If a bidding war comes into play, you may want to look past the dollar amount and take the advice of Leslie Davis from HGTV's "Unsellable Houses," who recommends writing a letter to secure a listing.
"We find in our market personal letters are starting to really make a difference again," Davis explained to Realtor.com. "I don't know if that's something that you can do nationwide. I know there's a lot of different rules." Of course, this may not always work, but Davis said that writing a personal letter to a seller can significantly impact whether or not you are the chosen buyer for a home. If you want to write a letter to help your chances of buying a home, here's how to do it right.
How to write a strong letter to a seller
If you want to help secure the home of your dreams, you'll want to put some thought and effort into your letter. Pay attention to the house itself – is it an older home with just one seller? Or a newer home with multiple owners? Knowing these simple facts allows you to tailor the letter to speak to the seller's interests. Beyond that, you'll want to truly show the owner why you chose their home. Include anecdotes that may only apply to your family, like how you envision the current guest room as a beautiful nursery.
You also want to look at any work the seller may have done. Note those items in your letter, expressing how much you will enjoy using that space. Additionally, briefly explain your offer and financing method and end the note with a thank you. Once the note is complete, you can give it to your realtor to pass along to the owner.
Get a mortgage pre-approval before writing a letter
A personal letter can go a long way with many home buyers, but for others, at the end of the day, it's really about the sale. Leslie Davis also recommended taking the time to get pre-approved before submitting your offer and letter. Not only will doing this fast-track the closing process, but it will also make you look more desirable to the seller because it proves you are as passionate about the house as you expressed in your writing.
"I know when I'm sitting in front of a seller and I have five offers, I definitely take the time to educate them on the difference between who went on an online application and spent five minutes to get a letter printed and who has been working on it for 30 days and has already submitted all their documents and has taken the time to make sure that they're completely underwritten," Davis told Realtor.com.