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.

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

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.

I have when I had a buyer.

No.

No - therefore N/A

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!)

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

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