Should You Write or Read Love Letters?

Here’s why you need to be careful about accepting love letters.

Recently, I’ve received a few questions about love letters. You may be asking, “What do love letters have to do with real estate?” Sometimes, buyers will send personal letters to their sellers to establish an emotional bond. Those letters might include details about their family and how much they’ll love and enjoy their home. Unfortunately, there’s a big issue with love letters, and it’s potentially dangerous. 

Let’s say that a seller is influenced by your love letter and decides to accept your offer. This violates the Fair Housing Law, and if another buyer finds out about what happened, the seller could be sued. Letters can’t address familial status, religion, or race, but most of them touch on at least one, even by accident. What should you do? 

I recommend that sellers don’t open or read love letters. Give your listing agent explicit, written instructions not to forward any love letters to you. For buyers, it’s best to avoid love letters altogether. 

Letters can’t address familial status, religion, or race.

I’m not an attorney, and this isn’t legal advice, but from what I understand, buyers are free to write and send letters since the liability falls on the seller. If you ignore my advice and write one anyway, just make sure you don’t involve your Realtor. 

If you have questions about today’s topic or anything else, please call or email me. Make it a great day!