For somebody who will purchase a property with the help of a loan, it can be quite challenging to compete with buyers who offer all-cash deals. However, writing a purchase offer embellished with carefully selected words and content can do a great deal to improve your status among potential buyers. So, here are a few guidelines to help you write the letter which will tip the odds to your favor.
Search for common ground
The best way to stand out in a group of prospective buyers is to create a bond with the seller. If the choice boils down to two equally financially stable families, then the tipping point will most likely be something subjective. So, when you go around the house with the agent, look for something that you and the seller have in common and memorize it for later. If it was, for example, a mutual love for pets, make sure you leverage subtly on it in your purchase offer. The seller will probably rather sell his home to a dog-loving family, then to a family which might dislike animals altogether.
Be concise and short
Nobody besides your close friends and your family has the patience and will to read about your entire life story. Put yourself in the seller’s shoes: what do you think is more relevant to mention – all the places you lived in or your installment plan? Consider making bullet points prior to starting a letter to help you gain a better overview of the priorities and to express them concisely. Also, try to keep it as short as possible since if you write an eight-pager, chances are the seller will be discouraged to even start reading which means you might be excluded at the very beginning.
Avoid a negative stance
When deciding on the essentials to mention in the letter, do your best to avoid negativity – for instance, the number of times you were turned down when all you wanted was to find a decent house since your new job required you to move from Mackay to Sydney. Although you may be in dire need of a house, with this kind of approach, you will come across as desperate and assertive. If you are not certain how to go about it, it’s best you simply consult with an experienced property buyer’s agent from Sydney who will show you the ropes about how to achieve the right tone of the offer. They might also suggest a better alternative to your current choice, being more acquainted with available real estate in the city.
Paint a picture with words
Your choice of words is also crucial and not just the content. Just like with your essay writing days, it is vital you show the seller why you are the best candidate, and not just say it. Instead of solely listing facts about you and your family members, make it into a story (short, mind you!) that will be interesting to read. The sellers are probably attached to their home and would want to know that those who will live in it after them will be decent people and that they will take good care of it. With that in mind, you might want to avoid mentioning if you have some major renovations planned since the image of their beloved home being altered might be subconsciously disagreeable.
Write a strong ending
The ending of the letter needs to be a reinforcement of certain points you view as the most important ones, so for the sake of being concise, choose them wisely. Also, to leave a good impression, it would be good to thank them for setting aside time to read your offer since that will show that that you respect both them and their time. This expression of appreciation is a small effort on your part, but it will most certainly put you in the top few prospective buyers.
Check your grammar and spelling
Even the most gripping story will lose its appeal if it riddled with grammar and spelling errors. This means that, after you write it, you need to re-read it a couple of times to first see if you are satisfied with the content. After you think you wrote everything you deemed relevant, run a spelling check through an online software to make sure everything is in order. And since sometimes it is difficult to see your own errors having read something too many times, consider giving it to somebody to read it so they can check for any inconsistencies or mistakes. Only once you have thoroughly proofread it, then you can send it to the seller.