Home > Blogs > Cindy Westfall > Cindy's Blog about Portland Real Estate & Stuff

A Seller's letter of Love

By Cindy Westfall

Real Estate Agent with Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon

January 17, 2012 04:02 PM

A Seller's letter of Love

Every now and then you see something that just hits home the sadness of families having to move from their beloved home.

Letter of Love I was showing property last week, and in one of the homes that was a short sale, there was a letter to the buyer on the kitchen counter. While we stood there reading the itemized list of what this family loves about the home, it really hit home the fact that for one reason or another, they have to move because they really have no choice.

The lists mentioned how they loved the kitchen..and my vision instantly pictured many family gatherings and dinners enjoyed together.

They mentioned how much they just love the neighborhood and how their neighbors are the best. I visioned the kids out playing together, the parents chatting with the others about lawns, kids sports, and bbq's.

The mention of the fantastic storage and closets brought me instantly back to the big closet upstairs with the toy action figures set up inside..a childs private space cherished.

That list to me was such a gift of generosity to the future family of this home. Knowing they have to leave there cherised home breaks my heart. I hope a miracle happens and they can keep their home, but if not, the new owners know that this house is not just a box that people lived in, but it was a home.

A Seller's letter of love..this is the sad side of short sales and forclosures..seeing the reality of people losing their homes.

Re-Blog

Featured

Comments(110)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Dawn A Fabiszak

Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO

The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!

Cindy ~ I can only imagine the tears in the sellers eyes while they wrote that letter of love. How emotional and sweet.

Jan 19, 2012 06:26 AM

Anonymous

Great post, Thanks for sharing!

Jan 19, 2012 07:08 AM

#92

Debbe Perry

Real Living Carolina Property - Morganton, NC

828.439.3084 Morganton/Lake James NC

I've got a lump in my throat, and can think of the last short sale I was involved with. The house was the sellers' dream home, they were in their 70s, and a catastrophic illness was forcing the sale because they had borrowed to the hilt to pay for "out of network" care. Two things were working against them in their retirement years: the banking and the healthcare systems. He was a retired police officer, she a retired Hospice worker.

I know we can't live in a dream world, but this seems just plain wrong. Through it all, your sellers were able to look at the bright points - I'm hoping, with time, mine will get there, too!

Jan 19, 2012 07:34 AM

Alyse "Aly" Sands

AGORA Realty - Nashville, TN

It's Good To Be Home

I think that this is a great way to personalize the home, even for sellers who are moving, voluntarily.

Jan 19, 2012 08:42 AM

Bill Morrow

Keller Williams of Central PA - Mechanicsburg, PA

Bill Morrow, Associate Broker

Thanks for reminding us of the other side of the transaction. I am sure that the letter will also bring some compassion at the settlement table as well.

Jan 19, 2012 09:05 AM

Cathy Perry

RedKey Realty Leaders - Wildwood, MO

This makes me so sad! I absolutely love my home, and it would break my heart if I had to face that circumstance. I showed a foreclosure to buyers that had been the builder's home; it appears they left in a hurry and left behind a number of their childrens' toys. Mrs. Buyer was so distressed seeing the toys that she couldn't consider the home, even though it fit everything they were looking for.

Jan 19, 2012 09:39 AM

Jennifer Prestwich

Henderson, Thornton, Broomfield and Westminster - Henderson, CO

Madison & Co Properties

Wow, Cindy, this is so touching and eloquent. After seeing the condition of some places, this would surely be a heartwarming sight and much appreciated by the buyers. Great post!

Jan 19, 2012 10:04 AM

Tyla Edwards

Keller Williams - Castro Valley, CA

How sad for the homeowner, how lucky for the future homeowner to know that home was loved and taken care of. I know of many friends and family that have walked away from their beloved homes and it just breaks my heart.

Jan 19, 2012 10:32 AM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Sharon, Isn't that the truth..it's time to see some postive changes, just hope they come sooner than later.

Hi Terry, I've just been on the buyer agent side of short sales..so it has to be hard to work in this environment day in and day out..sad indeed.

Hi Kimo, beautifully said!

Hi Rosalie, both affecting the heart..yet in different ways.

Hi Gloria, it certainly evoked my emotion. I don't think you can imbed video in the comment section..but know the song well.

Hi Kathy, It is hard..something I can't imagine

Hi Liane, Thank you...a great compliment to know that I was able to evoke the emotion through my post of how I was feeling when I read that letter.

Hey Dawn, I know right? To put it out there for the future owners to me was very selfless of them.

Jan 19, 2012 10:34 AM

Winston Heverly

Coldwell Banker Access Realty - South Macon, GA

GRI, ABR, SFR, CDPE, CIAS, PA

It's easy to get sentimental about these things, but please remember it still is just sticks and bricks which is replaceable. Life to me is more important and the memories there of.

Jan 19, 2012 11:35 AM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi #92, thank you!

Hi Debe, it's stories like yours that show that this is not just a "dead beat" issue as many think. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Alyse, It's something that in most cases can't hurt and only can help. With a short sale...there is always the possibility that a buyer might feel bad about "taking the home away"..even though it will sell to someone..so better to someone that cares enough to think that way.

Hi Bill, it would seem from the sellers letter, that they are willing to move the sale along showing their home in the best way. Now they need a buyer..and then the banks to move swiftly.

Hi Cathy, I can easily see that happening. This isn't a random thing..since many other agents in this comment thread alone have seen the very same thing...sad.

Hi Jennifer, The home actually showed really well too...you could tell the sellers still took pride in showing it well.

Hi Tyla, I have a good friend that had to leave her home a couple of years ago. I believe to this day it's still empty. Now how can that be good for a neighborhood?

Hi Winston, Fortunately, this is not a life or death situation and people do move past hardships and survive even stronger in most cases while making new memories in whatever home their living in. Family and people do make a home.

Jan 19, 2012 01:30 PM

Ann Wilkins

Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty - Oakland, CA

Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont CA

I saw one of the most touching "seller'e" letter like this at a home in Berkeley Ca. The owner was actually an accomplished/published writer. She wrote the most beautiful letter about her time spent in the house, what she loved and how it inspired her. She spoke of life's passages and how she was beginning a new passage and leaving her beloved home. Never found out why she was moving on ... but have often thought of her letter.

Jan 19, 2012 02:12 PM

Melinda (Mel) Peterson

Grants Pass, OR - Bend, OR

The Savvy Broker - ABR, CRS

A lovely post Cindy and incredibly heart-warming. It's so unusual for a 'distressed' seller to leave such a caring letter for a future buyer, in the midst of their own loss and pain. This speaks volumes to those selfless souls who choose to rise above their circumstances and think of others before themselves. Truly incredible!

Jan 19, 2012 02:16 PM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

I see things like this left in homes. I found a childs written prayer. Or I see the marks where they measured the kids against a door. All of this makes me so sad.

Jan 19, 2012 02:35 PM

Bob Miller

Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty - Ocala, FL

The Ocala Dream Team

Hi Cindy, that is a great idea to help a buyer get emotional about the home. Thanks!

Jan 19, 2012 10:10 PM

Sylvie Stuart

Realty One Group Mountain Desert 928-600-2765 - Flagstaff, AZ

Home Buying, Home Selling and Investment - Flagsta

It is tough. I always hate it when I see the marks on a doorway of how much a child has grown in that home. I tell people that by purchasing the short sale, they are helping the sellers out of a tough situation, and focus on that.

Jan 20, 2012 01:11 AM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Ann, a great idea for a seller to write something to leave. This one was short and sweet, so a nice touch

Hi Mel, that's what I thought as well. You see these in regular sales, but this was the first time I've seen something like this with a short sale.

Hi Gene, oh, a childs prayer would have been really sad to see..

Jan 20, 2012 10:15 AM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Bob, a letter like this sure can put a buyer in touch with their emotions which can help.

Hi Sylvie, That's the best way to look at it and focus on in a short sale situation.

Jan 21, 2012 05:31 AM

Marlene Smith

Long & Foster - Rockville, MD

http://www.mdshomesforsale.com

It is just SAD for both the sellers and the buyers. It feels like a death - the death of a dream.