Looking to buy flyers - any tips?

Kamran

Hi all! Hope you're well and have had a good weekend.

My fiancee and I are looking to purchase our new home, likely we can only afford a flat. We're going through the traditional Zoopla/rightmove route but also came across the MSE tip of dropping flyers to the properties we like.

I was just hoping for some advice as to what would come across most genuine and likely to get a response. Hand written vs colour printed? I suspect that hand-writing would look more homely but risks sounding like a scam. Then again, a nice printed letter may seem a bit more professional and real.

I came across the following template on the MSE forums

(our address at top; laid out as for a formal letter)

1st August 2009


Hi,

We are a young couple, looking to buy a long-term family home on the (XYZ) development. Please excuse this rather direct approach, but there is very little on the market and your house looks like one we would be interested in. We are looking for a four-bedroom detached property with a south or west facing rear garden.

If you have been considering selling, please do get in touch with us at home on (home phone number - thought a mobile would look more scammy). We are currently in rented accommodation so can move quickly, and have our deposit and mortgage agreement in principle in place. We would be happy to deal with you directly to save your estate agency fees, or alternatively deal through an estate agent if you prefer.

Yours sincerely,

(our names)

Anyone had luck with this method? If you were a homeowner thinking of selling, which method would you prefer to receive?

thanks!:T

questionss

I have received both typed & handwritten as a homeowner and it made little difference. Def wouldn't get professional leaflets though just off a home PC typed for speed. Plain black/white text, nothing fancy Sign by hand.

Pete9501

Professional leaflets go straight in the bin as its normally EA trying to drum up business with the line "we have clients waiting nonsense".

Hand written note on good paper would be read to see what it was all about.

Kamran

Pete9501 wrote: »

Professional leaflets go straight in the bin as its normally EA trying to drum up business with the line "we have clients waiting nonsense".

Hand written note on good paper would be read to see what it was all about.

Perhaps what I could do is hand write a note and scan/print/photocopy it? I suspect it won't just be a couple of properties, but say a dozen or more select ones.

That way it could have the benefit of looking hand written but the convenience of not writing it out lots of times.

AlexMac

You can over-think stuff like this; most people consider a typed (oops, sorry, showing my age...!) computer printed letter acceptable and not too impersonal, particularly if it's obviously hand signed (use a blue pen?).

But while I don't think they're necessarily more persuasive, is it really such a bore to hand write a dozen short letters? And what happened to fountain pens...?