Forget buyer love letters. Craft a perfect offer instead

Even before they were banned (then unbanned) in Oregon in 2021, buyer love letters have been controversial. The thinking goes that they could cause fair housing violations and, what’s more, that they make the home sale more about personalities and less about the quality of the offer itself.

People have different opinions on this, with some stressing the legality and effectiveness of the letters and others stressing the potential for harm. In my view, there’s no reason to deal with buyer love letters at all if the buyer agent is putting together a thoughtful, well-crafted offer package.

In place of a buyer love letter, Doora agents create a cover letter that paints a cohesive picture of the offer. The primary elements of the offer itself, including the cover letter, are submitted as a single pdf to the buyer when they’re signing the offer, allowing them to see the letter first.

The letter itself talks about why the buyers love the property — without diving too far into who they are in order to avoid impropriety or anything that could subsequently be construed as a fair housing issue.

Understanding how to present the offer in a way that is appealing and in a logical order is good business and good marketing. It makes you look professional to your buyer, makes your buyer look good to the seller, and makes both of you look good to the listing agent who will assume that you have all your ducks in a row.

What does an ‘ugly’ offer look like?

Most listing agents have been on the receiving end of a poorly crafted offer package. They may include multiple piecemeal elements of the offer in no particular order. They may be handwritten with strikethroughs and scratch-outs. The agent probably has to sift through the offer to figure out what, exactly, is being proposed.

An “ugly” offer like this makes the buyer agent look less than serious. It makes the listing agent question the logistics of working with that agent and those buyers. It makes the offer look rushed or thoughtless and makes the buyer agent look unprofessional.

Most professional service providers — from law firms to accountants to the title company that’s helping with the closing — provide a branded folder with a list of what’s included, a business card, and the various documents involved neatly organized in a logical fashion.

Can you imagine if you went to an attorney’s office to sign papers and they came in and dumped a pile of papers on the table in front of you, then left you to sift through, randomly looking for the relevant items for signature? 

What if they had to stop and figure out what some of the papers even were before they could explain them to you and tell you what you were signing?

Yet some agents send document after document to their buyers for signatures, often with little or no explanation, then do the same with the listing agent.

Putting together a ‘pretty’ offer package

We recommend to our agents that they create an offer cover letter, then package it with the preapproval letter and proof of funds. We put it all together into one DocuSign envelope before the buyers sign the contract. When the buyers see the entire package that’s been put together, it creates confidence in their agent. 

We then make sure that the agent is submitting a complete package in one PDF with the cover letter, proof of funds, preapproval and the offer as one attachment. We also recommend that the buyer agent write another formal email to the listing agent referencing the attached offer and outlining the bullet points. 

In order to stand out from the competition, it’s crucial that both the cover letter and email highlight our buyer’s qualifications. We’ll showcase their financial readiness and emphasize our ability to close the deal seamlessly. By demonstrating credibility and reliability, we position our client as the ideal buyer in the seller’s eyes.

This is also a good time to address any concerns that might come up in an initial review of the offer. Anticipating potential concerns or objections that may arise is a key aspect of a successful presentation. 

We proactively address these points, leaving no room for doubt in the seller’s mind. By showing thoroughness and preparedness, we build trust and alleviate any hesitations the seller may have.

Building anticipation and framing the offer

As a diligent buyer agent, call ahead of time and let the agent know that there’s an offer coming over. Then, follow up with a phone call to make sure that the email was received.

We’ve all heard horror stories about emailed offers that were sent, then, after two days of radio silence, the buyer agent follows up with a phone call to get input on the offer and finds out that it was sitting in a spam folder the whole time.

When you send the offer, make sure you CC the lender and include the lender’s contact information in the body of the email to the agent. 

Over the past couple of years, many buyer agents have been submitting offers based on crazy-quick turnaround requirements, all while knowing that they would be one of dozens under consideration. While that’s not the ideal way to operate, it may be necessary in some overheated markets.

Having a solid plan and the computer skills for putting together a well-crafted, organized offer means that even under a time crunch, you can differentiate your client’s offer by providing the key information upfront and communicating clearly. Putting your best foot forward reflects well on both you and your buyer.

Presenting an offer with finesse means meticulously organizing the offer package and ensuring it reflects your professionalism and attention to detail. By providing a polished and well-structured offer, you create a positive impression and instill confidence in both the buyer and the seller.

Looking for a template for your offer? Here’s one adapted from ChatGPT, based on the prompt: Write a cover letter to accompany an offer for the purchase of a residential property. This would be on either brokerage or agent letterhead.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Today’s Date]

[Recipient’s Name]
[Recipient’s Title/Position (if applicable)]
[Real Estate Agent/Brokerage Name (if applicable)]
[Address of the Recipient]
[City, State, Zip Code]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to submit an offer for the purchase of [Property Address], a beautiful residential property listed by [Listing Agent / Brokerage]. My buyers have been diligently searching for a new home, and we believe that this property is the perfect fit for their needs and goals.

Allow me to introduce myself briefly. My name is [Your Name], and I am a [Your Title] with [Your Brokerage]. After conducting extensive research and visiting numerous properties, my buyers were captivated by the charm, location, and amenities offered by [Property Address]. The property’s [mention any unique features or characteristics that stand out] make it truly special and align perfectly with their lifestyle and requirements. They envision creating lasting memories and building their future in this wonderful community.

The buyers’ financial standing is strong, and we are committed to ensuring a smooth and straightforward transaction. I am pleased to inform you that we are offering [Offer Amount] for the purchase of [Property Address], which we believe accurately reflects the property’s market value and their genuine interest in making it their own. Additionally, they are open to discussing a reasonable timeline that suits both parties to ensure a seamless closing process.

Here are the highlights of the offer:

[Price]
[Earnest money deposit]
[Down payment]
[Escrow closing time frame]
[Contingency time frames]
[Any other parts of the contract that we want to make sure stand out]

As prospective buyers, the buyers are prepared to handle all necessary inspections and evaluations promptly, and they understand the importance of due diligence throughout this journey. Moreover, they have secured pre-approval for a mortgage from [Financial Institution], demonstrating their ability to secure the necessary funding for this transaction. Here is the lender’s contact information: [Lender Contact Information].

While we understand that there may be other competitive offers for [Property Address], I hope that my buyers’ genuine affection for the property and sincere intention to create a loving home will be taken into account during the decision-making process.

We kindly request that you convey this offer to the property seller as soon as possible. Once again, we extend our gratitude for this opportunity, and my buyers are eagerly looking forward to your response.

Please feel free to contact me at [Your Phone Number] or [Your Email Address] if you require any additional information or if you would like to arrange a meeting.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

CC: [Lender]

Janet Pozos serves as creative director at DOORA Properties. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.