Tweet

RSS

You’re searching for a new place to call home. You’re ready to buy. You have your down payment and pre-approval letter ready. You’ve viewed a few homes. And you’ve finally found one that you’re super excited about. When you get to this point, the last thing you want is to fall apart in your offer letter and miss getting the house of your dreams. Here are 4 secrets to help you stand out in your offer letter and win the bid!

This secret is two-fold. You want to first start by addressing the sellers in a personal way in your opening lines. Address them by name. If you don’t know it, think of a creative attribute of the home and address it to “dear owners of the ___ home.” Make it cute. Make it fun. Immediately throw in a compliment of the home in your opening. Think about something like, “we instantly fell in love with the charm of your adorable grey cottage with the green shutters.” Something along those lines. Let them know you are paying attention to their home and this isn’t just a stock letter.

The second part of a personal opening is to introduce yourself and tell them a little bit about you. Sellers, while they are moving on, often are sentimental about their home. They want to make a human connection and know this home they love and made memories in will be well cared for. Tell them a tidbit about yourself. Are you single, married, thinking about raising a family, or empty nesters looking for a calm new place? Are you attracted to their home because of the extra space, the charm, the neighborhood? And then why are those things important to you? 

Chances are some of the things you love about this home are aspects the sellers also love or even worked hard to create. Maybe it’s the flooring or the crown molding that first caught your eye. Perhaps it was the dormers, the French doors, the open floor plan or the natural light. Tell the sellers what you love about their home. They most likely take pride in their accomplishments to turn this property into a lovely home and will appreciate you taking notice of the effort they put in. Be specific about any personal details you noticed as well in case there’s a personal connection to be found. Maybe you went to the same college and noticed that because of a diploma. Perhaps you have children around the same age and can comment on how the home works perfectly for this age. These compliments and details go a long way in making you stand out as a buyer. 

Now it’s time for you to put your bid down. But don’t just say, “I’m offering x”. But instead offer real reasons for why you are offering x. If it’s a little under their asking, explain why you felt you must take a chance on this home even if it’s over your budget. If you’re offering right around asking, let them know what other perks you bring as a buyer. Perhaps you can only offer this amount but you are preapproved and flexible about a closing date. Add those extra incentives in while you are making your offer. 

No need to make this part redundant or fake at all. But do circle back and close with a sincere closing argument. Weave in another compliment or two about the house and let them know you are eager to hear their response. 

Follow these 4 tips to help your offer letter stand out from the crowd!