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Rainer
50,260
James Hoff
Century 21 Award - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Real Agents Work

Thanks for the feedback folks. I find that a lot of agents send them out where I am but mast do so without having a buyer. When they get the calls from prospective sellers, they say "well I could have a buyer ... if I list your house and market to people ..." ... that said, I do send these out and find them literally the most effective marketing I have ever done. More to come later on the contents of such letters but always like to know what everyone else is doing.  Basically, for every 156 letters I send out, I get a phone call.  That's pretty crazy.

Apr 12, 2015 03:55 PM
Rainmaker
2,443,250
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

No, but I have knocked on the door with the I have a buyer conversation.  In each case I was allowed to show the property, with commission paid by the Seller and sold two such homes the same week recently.

Apr 12, 2015 11:54 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Yes, and Yes, we did have a buyer for a specific neighborhood. We did get responses.

Apr 12, 2015 10:36 AM
Rainer
509,531
S. Leanne Paynter ☼ Broward County, FL
United Realty Group, Inc. - Davie, FL
Davie, Plantation, Cooper City & Weston Specialist

I've never drafted such a letter but have received a couple of those at my house and they've also arrived at my Dad's mailbox in a different neighborhood.  I always question how truthful the agent who writes it is being.  I have no idea if the agents who've sent those ever got a listing or sale from sending them out to the neighborhood.  I suspect the answer is 'no' and the ROI isn't too good because not too many agents send them out.

Apr 12, 2015 10:05 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I have when I had a buyer.

Sep 23, 2018 06:45 AM
Rainmaker
630,251
Ajay Pandya
e-Merge Real Estate Unlimited - Columbus, OH
Realtor Ajay Pandya

No.

Apr 15, 2018 11:28 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

No - therefore N/A

Sep 11, 2017 04:02 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Have you written "I have a buyer.."

Did you actually have a buyer?

What were the results?

Yes, yes, and outstanding in several deminsions.

But you already know that.

Apr 13, 2015 08:16 AM
Rainmaker
1,562,386
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

I've never done it before, but have received a letter recently and wrote a post about it "Jim Wants to Buy My House"  I would not recommend this to other agents and I think it cheapens the profession.

Apr 13, 2015 08:15 AM
Rainer
104,074
Mike Belobradic
Johnston & Daniel Oakville - Oakville, ON
Your Trusted Advisor in Oakville Real Estate

I have not done this but am currently mulling a situation where I could do it. I also work with integrity so I would never use this method in any way, shape or form if I did not in fact have a real buyer who I could produce. Anyway, I got a buyer lead online for a specific area of Town. It is a big seller's market right now and listings are few and far between. I met with the prospect with the intent of getting a buyer rep agreement signed, at which point I would go door-to-door for them in an attempt to find them a home (versus sitting around and waiting for new listings to appear). Turns out the prospect has a friend-of-a-friend agent also looking for him (surprise surprise) but has not signed a buyer rep with the other agent either. Both the buyer and his other agent are from out-of-town. He did say that if I were to find him a home he liked by going door-to-door (or any other means) he would gladly sign buyer rep and do a deal with me. But who is to say? So I am wondering if I should go out on my own and knock on doors to see if I can find a suitable listing (and at the same time making some contact in this neighbhorhood, which I quite like). The prospect seems sincere and is a real person with whom I have met, but once again I do not have a buyer rep.

My strategy would not be a mass letter to every house. I have researched homes and streets where the likely price range would be available. I would then go in person to potential target homes (based loosely on recent sales) and say I may have a buyer for their home (assuming of course the buyer likes the home and also that the seller likes the price). I would not say "I have a buyer for your home" because the buyer hasn't even seen it.

What would you do? Would you go out and try to find a listing for this prospect (even though they don't want to commit unless you have something)? I would welcome some thoughts.

Apr 13, 2015 08:00 AM
Rainmaker
979,496
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

James - I have never written such a letter, but do receive them from time to time. I think the only way I would actually write one is if I truly did have a buyer. If not, then I would just be lying.

Apr 13, 2015 05:24 AM
Rainer
12,741
Holly Biltz
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Saint Cloud, FL
I sell the dream of Home Ownership!

No because I operate with honesty and integrity, if I had a buyer then maybe but I would not send something out like this without a real buyer

Apr 13, 2015 03:54 AM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

James Hoff I did - once, when I really had a buyer and it was FSBO! 

The result was, I could meet the seller in person, however, the price was not realistic, it never worked. Few months later someone listed it and sold at a lower price (and was surprised why seller never contacted me - I did not seek listing!)

Apr 12, 2015 03:10 PM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Yes, and I actualy had buyers that wanted to live in that area. It wasn't very effective.

Apr 12, 2015 11:19 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,134
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

No. Sometimes, buyers want to provide a personal message to be delivered with the contract.

Apr 12, 2015 07:07 AM