BUYERS - DO YOU WRITE MUSHY LETTERS TO GET THE HOME YOU WANT?

Interesting as I have only seen a handful of these letters and not one has been accepted.  On several occasions it turned my sellers off.

All things being equal, or with very competing offers, I agree it could make the difference between acceptance of your buyers offer, or losing to a more compelling offer. If the buyer has made their best offer and you are in a multiple offer situation, I see no harm in composing such a letter. It just might tip the scales in your favor.

I'm just not a fan of "love letters" as they are riddled with issues, discrimination can come into play as well as fair housing issues. Especially where photos are sent with the letters.

Yes, I understand some reasoning in these letters, however in today's society they are best to be left unwritten for many reasons.  In a real estate offer or multiple offer situation there's always a winner and looser.  Don't give the looser ammo to come back and sue you, your company or the seller.

I go over this situation with the seller at the time of listing and most say they want to see them and get them.  Once I go over the issues that tag along more often than not, they say they want to see the offer and supporting documents showing the ability of the buyer to perform. 

I think sellers and buyers need to be more educated about the risks and make the writing or receiving of these letters their choice...that's part of our job.

Hi Olga, I'm not a big fan of them... As a listing agent, I don't buy into the emotional tug, and I can tell you that my sellers have decided to reject offers based on things learned about a buyer that actually weakened their offer.  So, when representing buyers, I feel like there are cards you may be giving away that you might not even perceive as weakening your offer. 

Olga, I commented once but here's another thought. You'll never tug at the heartstrings of Corporate America or homes in foreclosure, being handled by a banking institution, and I would never encourage discrimination of a protected class, but there is a difference between someone who wants to buy and flip a home versus someone who wants to lovingly restore a home to its former glory then raise their family in it. If the situation calls for it, why not? 

I've seen this work both ways.  Most of the times its about the bottom line when there are multipul offers working with a seller.  I had buyers ask if they can write a letter, Yes I'll be happy to submit it with your contract.  In most cases it's about the $$$.

We had a discussion as to whether or not this would cause the seller to actually be discriminating against the competing offers who do not write letters. I have done the letters in the past ( only a few ) , and once got told the seller felt manipulated by the letter. So... ??? to each his own, but I am leaning toward not doing it again.

Ultimatley , it is up to our clients how they want things presented.

Buyers read online home buying tips and many of them ask to present a letter with their Offer.  If they are passionate about sharing, I absolutely do send their Offer, accompanied by their letter.  I have never had it not work like a gem.  

That said, as a listing agent, I have had people accept a lower Offer with a letter (not by much) because of the emotional attachment they feel with the letter-writting, particular buyer.  I have had sellers accept the 'one with the letter' over other Offers that are almost identical.  And, I have had sellers tell me that they feel like the buyers are trying to manipulate them emotionally when their Offers are accompanied by a letter from the heart.  

The last scenario has made me now, in general conversation, discuss with the listing agent, that my buyers have penned a letter to his/her sellers.  I want to get a sense of how the agent responds - if it's an agent that feels that letters are manipulative, I warn my buyers.  Otherwise, I present the letter with their Offer.