People will do a lot of things to stand out when trying to buy a home. The market can be quite competitive. If a seller gets 10 or 20 offers for their house, people wonder how they can ensure that theirs is the one that is chosen.
There are a lot of different tactics that can be used. For example, simply increasing the offer price can be beneficial. It can also sometimes help to remove contingencies. One tactic that people have started using recently is to write love letters about a house. Here is why they think this will work and why you should avoid this approach.
Providing personal information
In this “love letter,” the potential buyer will provide information about their family. They may mention how many children they have, how long they’ve been looking for a house, how they envision raising their family there and things of this nature. They’ll try to explain why the house would be so perfect for them in order to create an emotional connection, which they hope will cause the seller to accept their offer, even if there’s a better one on the table.
Why is this an issue?
This is a problem because a love letter can accidentally give the seller information that they shouldn’t have. If they make the decision based on this information, they could be accused of discrimination. For example, some people will include a picture of their family along with the letter. But this can tell the seller certain things that shouldn’t factor into their decision. The seller can see the potential buyer’s race or ethnic background, for example. The love letter might mention their religion or culture.
Sellers cannot make decisions about who to sell their home to based on that person’s race or religion. This would clearly be discrimination. That certainly might not be the intent of a letter, but it can cause this situation to arise unintentionally. That’s why it’s best to skip writing a letter and simply let your offer stand based on its own merits.
The home buying process
This is just one thing to think about when buying a home. If this is the first time you’ve ever been through this process, it certainly can be complicated. Make sure you know exactly what steps to take and what mistakes to avoid by seeking legal guidance proactively.
