How to Write a Love Letter to a Seller

“Do letters to sellers work?” YES! and no. 

Before writing one, figure out WHO owns the home. 

Individual? Family? Estate? Investor? Bank? These letters don’t help much with investors (flip houses) or banks but they can tip the scales in your favor with the other groups. 

Here are my tips...

Be genuine: The number of copy & paste, prewritten, general letters I've collected for my sellers over the years is alarming. Sometimes, I'm not even sure if the buyers viewed the house at all. If you don't put emotion in, you won't get emotion out.

Introduce yourself: Tell the seller about you, your family, even your dog. Many sellers like the idea of passing the home on to someone who they connect with and feel will take care of it the way they did.

Get Specific: Adding things like “...we’ve always dreamed of living in a white 2 story home, just like yours…” or “the huge yard will be perfect for our kids to play in” will go a long way if you truly mean it. Don’t lie about this stuff. 

Connect. While you were viewing the house, did you notice photos of kids or signs of pets? Trophies, awards, or special decorations? If those resonate with you, mention them to build a connection. 

Stay Positive: The fastest way to get eliminated from the pile of offers is to send a letter pointing out everything that’s wrong with the house. Focus on the positive things the home has. 

Explain your offer, even if it’s low: Your offer may not be the highest of the bunch. Explain why if you can. Is this your first home and it’s as high as you can go? Expecting a baby and need to save? Coming from an apartment and need furniture? “We were trying to get a good deal” won’t cut it. 

Keep It Short: This is self-explanatory. Sellers don’t want to read a 10-page essay. 

Don’t talk about remodeling: It doesn’t matter if you have a degree in design and “super amazing plans”  to rip down all the walls, install a slide to the basement, and replace all the hardwood with antique pennies. The sellers don’t want to hear about it right now. They want to picture you enjoying the home in the same way they did. 

Wrap it up with a bow: Finish the letter with something like “Thank you so much for your time,” instead of “Best regards,” which may come across as too businesslike. 

Proofread It. The grammar police are everywhere. The seller may be one of them. 

-Paul Wolfert

If you have any other questions, I’d be happy to help. Just send me an email: paul@movingmi.com