Absolutely!
If you absolutely love the house or feel a special connection to it, then by all means, go for it! I have encouraged many of my buyers to do so and they have had great success with it. If the current homeowner has lived in the house for many years they are flattered to know that someone likes it as much as they do. It also works with a homeowner that has gone through a painstaking renovation of their home. What better way to let them know you appreciate all the hard work they have put into it.
I have had clients win in multiple bid situations because of a letter they have attached. One was an antique that the homeowners had lived in for 15+ years. It was obvious that they loved their home and the agent shared with us that they were extremely sad about moving, but needed to because of a job opportunity. The house was very well priced and in an excellent location. When I told the agent I was bringing in an offer (first day on the market) she said there was another one coming in. My buyers loved antiques and were looking for a home just like this for a while. They had also owned antiques in the past and had refurbished several to their original splendor. I suggested that they write a letter to the owners that we would attach to their offer describing what they loved about the home and why. They won the bid and were later told by the owners that they did so because of the letter they had written.
Another example was a young couple that fell in love with a home recently. The minute they walked in they said they knew it was their home. After factoring in the amount of money they would have to spend to do some repairs they realized their bid was going to be low. The homeowners had been living in the home for over 30 years. They watched their children grow up in it and were now seeing their grandchildren play in it. I suggested that they write the owners and tell them how they felt when they walked in and that they too saw themselves raising their family there. The homeowners had turned down previous offers, but were so touched by the buyers letter that they agreed to accept the offer. They also felt grateful that their treasured home was not going to be torn down. My clients definitely felt that the reason they "got" the house was because of the letter.
Some people may think it's silly, but it does work in some situations. I don't think that attaching a "love letter" would be as effective with someone who has only owned a home for a short period of time, is an investor or for a new construction home, but hey, you never know. The most important thing to remember is that you should write from your heart. Hopefully the homeowner will know you are sincere and will appreciate the time you took to tell them how much you love their home!
Good Luck!!!
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