Love Letters

The pros and cons of appealing to a seller via a heartfelt letter.

January 20, 2023
All, Buyers

Photo by alleksana from Pexels

Sincerity in writing

Introduction

Writing a love letter to a seller is one of many ways to put your offer above all others. However, they are as helpful as they are a liability. Before considering writing and attaching a love letter to your offers, please continue reading to help you get started.

Definition

Love letters are notorious for being a way to help buyers stand out among all other offers by appealing to a seller’s emotions, making it a convincing tactic to help your offer become the best one. Love letters typically include a picture of the members in your household, a short letter explaining your current living situation, and/or how this home is the right one for you.

Liability Concerns

The state of Oregon proposed a law to ban the use of love letters to attach to home offers (March, 2022). Luckily, this proposal was overturned because this could potentially violate the First Amendment. However, why was this proposed and considered in the first place? Some sellers may be accused of unfair and unethical reasons to not choose an offer. As a result, some buyers may decide to sue the seller based on those unethical, unjust reasons should they feel they are being treated unfairly by the seller.

Whether a seller may or may not have bad intentions, a love letter could make the seller unknowingly liable for mistreatment of any offers that may not be selected. This is especially crucial to know as most love letters contain information that could make the seller a subject for practicing unfair housing. In addition, a buyer should not have their offer accepted because of a possible fair housing violation. Avoiding love letters makes the transaction as objective as possible, and may actually improve a home buyer’s chances of acceptance if the buyer feels they may be a subject to unfair housing.

Write Cautiously

Please consider the following guidelines to best draft your letter without positioning yourself in a potential unfair housing situation:

Dos

Don’ts (proceed with caution)

Home Features You Love
- Beautiful landscaping, layout of the home, custom cabinets, etc.
Thank the Seller
- Showing gratitude to allow the showing, providing opportunity
Current Home Situation
- Renting, moving for work, etc.
This Home is Perfect Because…
- Close to childhood memories, in a beautiful neighborhood, etc.
Neighborhood Insights
- Close to parks, short work commute, by your favorite restaurants, etc.

Thank for the Consideration
- EX) Show appreciation in the sellers’ consideration of your offer
Be no more than ONE PAGE

A Picture of You (and Your Household)
- Pets are fine, but members of the family could violate fair housing laws.
Current Financial Situation
- Could create an unwanted and/or unintentional bias or stigma.
Any Details Under the Seven Protected Classes*
- *Race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability
- We also advise to not mention sexual preference.
Promises to Sellers
- Making the transaction process easier for them, not asking much, etc.
Negotiations
- May seem demanding, and will be handled later if the offer is accepted.

Proofreading

Just as a REALTOR® cannot help fill out a Seller’s Disclosure Notice for their seller clients, a REALTOR® cannot help draft a love letter for their buyer clients. A REALTOR® is only responsible for sending the love letter– not to write it. Have other members of your household proofread and draft the love letter yourself to ensure that the content is appropriate and acceptable before submitting.