My offer on a house in Tacoma got accepted after I stopped writing letters to the sellers

I was trying to buy a house for about 8 months and kept losing out. My realtor said personal letters to sellers would help, so I wrote them for every offer. Last month, I made an offer on a place without a letter, just a clean contract with a 21-day close. The seller picked my offer over three others that had letters. My realtor thinks the letter-free offer looked more professional and less risky. Has anyone else found that skipping the letter actually worked better?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_dylan15d ago

But @the_paul, those letters show you're a real person, not just another cold offer.

the_sam3d ago

My cousin in Everett wrote a letter last spring and got the house over a higher offer. The sellers told her they really wanted it to go to a family. I get why some people think letters feel risky, but they can make a real connection. It just depends on the seller and what they care about. A letter shows you're invested in the home itself, not just another deal. I wouldn't write one off completely.

the_paul15d ago

Isn't it crazy how that works? I had the exact same thing happen last year... wrote these heartfelt letters for months and kept getting passed over. Finally got fed up and just sent a strong offer with a quick close, no note. Got the house. Felt like all those letters just made me look desperate or like I might be a pain to deal with. Your realtor is probably onto something.