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What to Do with those Love Letters from Buyers

By Joan Cox

Real Estate Broker/Owner with House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 DRE# ER40011786

December 28, 2018 07:22 AM

In many cities across the Country over the last few years, have enjoyed a very strong Seller's market. It is not unusual to see multiple offers in a few hours of a property hitting the market. With low inventory, Buyers were scrambling to "win the bid" on a home in any manner they could.

We saw many Love Letters attached to offers trying to pull on the Sellers' heart strings to have an accepted offer. Many of these letters violate the Fair Housing Laws put into place to protect special classes. The letters plead to the Sellers that their children can grow up in the home, play in the yard, or a single mom have a desire to purchase.

What do you do with these Love Letters?

Our Colorado Department of Real Estate just put out a very good You Tube video explaining what brokers should do when receiving these Love Letters.

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Grant Schneider

Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY

Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good morning Joan - this is excellent advice. The video really tells why an act that can seem innocent can create a unintended discriminatory act.

Dec 29, 2018 07:46 AM

Curtis Van Carter

Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group - Yountville, CA

Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire

Joan

Just wanted to wish you a wonderful holidays and a very great 2019. cheers cvc

Dec 29, 2018 09:23 AM

Lottie Kendall

Compass - San Francisco, CA

Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Joan, you've given me a thought to ponder. "Love letters" are routine in my marketplace and have been for years. The video makes a strong point to the dangers. I've sent the video to our office broker and legal counsel, asking them to weigh in. Thanks for opening my eyes!

Dec 29, 2018 11:13 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I've often wondered this myself. Although, most of the love letters I see are just copied from the internet. Rarely is there any personal information or creativity, LOL. I tell my sellers to ignore them. Everybody says they are in love with this house until the home inspection when all of a sudden they no longer love it like they thought. Not saying the authors are out-and-out liars; just that I don't put amy credence in it.

Good suggestion to have it in writing from the seller that you won't present them.

Dec 29, 2018 11:20 AM

Steffy Hristova

Tempe, AZ

Anne Corbin

Long and Foster - Lake Anna - Spotsylvania, VA

Serving Lake Anna & Central Virginia

Yes very interesting! I'll definitely be heeding some of this advice, for sure.

Dec 29, 2018 04:59 PM

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI

WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

We have not had such a caution from all things legal in Wisconsin...I think it an unfortunate "over step"by the legal community.

Dec 29, 2018 05:37 PM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD I don't recall a LA stating they did not present them, and I probably did not share that I did not present them.

Dec 30, 2018 08:01 AM

Debb Janes

Camas, WA

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Grant, something we all should have been paying attention to!

Dec 30, 2018 08:02 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Curtis, and to you as well.

Dec 30, 2018 08:02 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Lottie Kendall it was an eye-opener, and about six years too late. MANY love letters were shared over the years with multiple offers. It will be interesting to hear what you find out. Share if you will please.

Dec 30, 2018 08:03 AM

Lottie Kendall

San Francisco, CA

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Real Estate Agent, Top 1% of Lyon Agents with you being a solid listing agent, I would have expected you to receive many. We had some pretty creative letters around here.

Dec 30, 2018 08:04 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Anne, thinking we all should be paying attention, no matter what state you practice in!

Dec 30, 2018 08:04 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Sally, they do go against Fair housing, and something to think about.

Dec 30, 2018 08:05 AM

Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ

Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ

HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Thank you for sharing the video and post with us. I haven't received any of these "love letters" lately, but my buyer clients have written them in the past. They did not disclose any personal information or that they might have been in a protected class. I'll definitely remember this in the future!

Dec 30, 2018 08:35 AM

Lottie Kendall

Compass - San Francisco, CA

Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

I'll let you know what our broker/legal counsel has to say, Joan.

Dec 30, 2018 09:22 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Jan, I have too had buyers write letters, but now will be relaying this information before sending to the LA.

Dec 31, 2018 07:28 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Lottie, sounds like a plan, thank you.

Dec 31, 2018 07:28 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Interesting to see what comments were given here on Love Letters!

Jan 02, 2019 06:51 AM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

This was great information, Joan...thanks for sharing. I'll have to see what CA has to say but bet it's pretty similar. These letters can definitely be a slippery slope, and a legal mess potentially.

Jeff

Jan 08, 2019 06:09 PM

Dorie Dillard Austin TX

Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX

NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good afternoon Joan Cox ,

I'm glad that Carol Williams featured your post in her Second Chance Saturday Series. We saw a lot of "love" letters several years ago but of late hardly see them at all. As in everything they are now considered a slippery slope so better heed the warning.

Feb 17, 2019 01:02 PM