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Thinking outside the box

Writing a personal letter to a prospective landlord isn't common in my area, but it's something I have every one of my prospective tenants do.

Why? A personal letter is just that, personal, an introduction to who they are.

How many landlords base their decision solely on credit reports and deposits? I can tell you a lot.

So how is a person with horrible credit and/or little money suppose to find a home? Over the years I've placed countless clients into a rental home due in part to the personal letter they wrote.

A letter that introduced them, a letter that explained why their credit wasn't perfect, a letter explaining why they short saled their home or claimed bankruptcy.

I have found landlords will look past the numbers on the paper and focus more on the person, IF the person takes the time to introduce themselves.

If you are working with a prospective tenant regardless of how they appear on paper I highly recommend including a personal letter with their offer, it can go along way.

Photo courtesy of Jscreationzs

Michelle Gibson REALTOR®
HANSEN REAL ESTATE GROUP INC.
561.333.0446

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Posted by Michelle Gibson REALTOR® Wellington Florida Homes for Sale on 08/09/2010 09:31 PM

Comments (21)

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21 Comments on Thinking outside the box

AUG

2010

Great suggestion! I have seen this work wonders for people looking to rent. I have also seen it work for buyers. A buyer wanting to purchase a farm listed with my team wrote a letter to the sellers explaining why she wanted the farm, what she planned to do, and even included photos of herself with her goats. For these sellers, the future of the farm they were giving up was VERY important and they accepted her offer even though it was less than they wanted.

Michelle, Right now the Atlanta rental market is highly competitive (I listed a rental and had 7 showings the first day). I have seen personal letters of introduction and explanation work wonders in helping the landlord sort through multiple tenant applications. I think it's a MUST DO! Thanks for putting this idea out there!

The touch of a letter has help many a buyer that we work with get their contracts considered and accepted.

Oak Hill VA, USA

Hello Michelle and VB agrees with the others and a wonderful letter I might add!

Michelle, there is a wonderful and true story locally about a young man wanting to move back into the neighborhood where he spent his youth. Wanted to raise his son in the same neighborhood.

There were 2 offers.

The seller took $20,000 less to help the young man achieve his goal!

Michelle, Great job on taking care of your clients!

Hi Michelle ~ That's an excellent idea! I do if for sales but never thought of it for rentals. I don't do rentals (though I did my first four months in real estate) but as a landlord I know this would carry some weight with me. Even the prospective tenants who replied to my craigslist posting with a decent email caught my attention.

Liz

That's a really interesting approach, and I'm glad to hear it's working. Have you seen if there's a significant difference in responses between letters that are typed and those that are handwritten?

I would think a good personal letter could be the deciding factor and may just tilt the scales enough to get them a home. Good call Michelle.

AUG

2010

Michelle, that is a great suggestion! There are so many people in this position right now, you really can't only look at the numbers.

Kristen - There are so many sellers and landlords that do have an emotional attachment to their home and getting to know the person who wants to purchase or rent the home can be a deciding factor. Great story!

Jenna - Here too, we have a lot of people in short sale situations that need to find a new home and rentals are really their only option.

Robert - I haven't done it with a purchase it

VB - It definitely doesn't hurt

Mary Kay - Great story! I can't count how many of my sellers are emotionally attached to their home and care who gets it.

Liz & Bill - Thanks!

Liz - I have yet to do it with a sale since a majority of my clients are purchasing short sales and bank owned homes.

Dawn - I've had clients do both, typed and handwritten and both ways have worked every time, but I personally think handwritten might go a little further with some.

Randy - It's always worked for my clients even in multiple offer situations where they weren't the best on paper.

Tony - We have a ton of people in this situation and I've found it's the only way to get them into a home that they want.

Okay - I have to admit that 25 years ago I did that for ME! I was renting my first apartment and I wrote a letter to the landlord - it WORKED. I ended up staying in that apartment for 10 years and had a super fantastic relationship with the landlord. It really does work, Michelle and so glad to see you being such an advocate for your clients!

Wake Forest NC House Chick

This is BRILLIANT Michelle ! I love this concept ! ... duly noted and will look to incorporate that into my renters procedure !

Leesa - It's so simple and works miracles, yet I never receive on any of my rental listings.

Sheldon - It has worked extremely well for all of my clients.

Thats a Great Great idea Michelle! I think that Landlords have become use to working with people that do not have 'stellar' credit, so that little bit extra would certainly make a difference to me if I were renting a home. Great advice!

John - Thank You

Michelle, this is a really good idea. I think that personalizing offers, either to buy or lease, make it easier to get them through.

This is a great idea, Michelle. I would like to reblog this post since I have been getting a lot of calls for rentals lately.

AUG

2010

Pat - I agree, especially if the owner has an attachment to the home.

Shirley - Thanks for re-blogging!

SEP

2010

Michelle, what a great idea and something I will implement

Ty - Thanks

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Michelle Gibson REALTOR® Wellington Florida Homes for Sale

Wellington, FL

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Hansen Real Estate Group Inc.

Address: www.WellingtonHomeTeam.com

Office Phone: (561) 333-0446

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