Putting a note through the door

Mazzawa

Hi everyone!

Once we are ready to actively go house hunting, the first thing we are going to do is put a note through the doors of a couple of properties that were on the market for ages but were taken down (not sold) a couple of months ago, to see if they would be prepared to sell privately (I know there might be issues with EA's previous involvement etc but that's for another day). What should we put in this note? How should we phrase it? Anything we should avoid? Should we mention what we would be prepared to pay or would that be better at a face to face negotiation/viewing?

Also, when it comes to price, do we base any offer we might make on the price that was marketed a while back, or more on the estimated recent value given the market dips we've had here up in bonny scotland?

We wont be doing this for a couple of months I guess but want to start getting things like this together so we can do a property blitz one weekend.

Oh please help wise moneysavers!

Mazzawa x

P.S. has anyone had the note-through-the-door purchase work before?

PasturesNew

Somebody who successfully put notes through doors updated their thread over the weekend - and in that thread they typed up their note for others to see/copy.

I'll go find it for you.

PasturesNew

Here is the thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3045234
And the note: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=41855972&postcount=38

Mazzawa

Fantastic thank you!

Any help is gratefully received, that thread has given me some ideas. Would still like some input into whether or not to mention money in the letter?

PasturesNew

You shouldn't mention money. Money's dirty.

mlz1413

I think the other persons note is very good but maybe in your case as it is initally just 2 houses I'd keep it short, something like:

If you decide to re-market your property this year I would be very interested in viewing, I did not have the finances in place when you were previously on the market but now am in a position to proceed.

Don't mention money or what is included that is for after you have viewed and you know you want to put in an offer. I personally don't think money is dirty but hate people making offers when they haven't even see the item for sale!

Mazzawa

mlz1413 - thank you that's great. Yes I think I agree with you about the money thing, felt a bit wrong putting that in the note. Will see what I can type up later on today and stash it away until we're ready.

Seanymph

don't just put it through the doors of the ones you knew were for sale - put it through ALL the doors.

Firstly because someone else may be thinking of moving - or they may be marketed by more discreetly - thirdly they won't want to pay the Estate Agent an introduction, if you leaflet an entire area then it wasn't the agents marketing that brought you to that particular door.

poppysarah

mlz1413 wrote: »

I think the other persons note is very good but maybe in your case as it is initally just 2 houses I'd keep it short, something like:

Do the whole street.

That eliminates any guilt about any previous EA involvement trying to sell the house that was on the market previously.