The Chicago real estate market is always competitive, and even more so lately. So, how do you cut through some of the competition to better your chances of making your offer the one that’s accepted? A good strategy is to write an offer letter. This shows the sellers that you’re serious, and adds a personal component to the transaction, immediately setting you apart from the faceless bidders operating through their Realtor.  Here are some ideas for Chicago sellers to write the perfect offer letter:  

Sincerity

Your main goal is to establish a connection with the sellers, so you’ll want your personality to come through. Your offer letter doesn’t need to be formal or professionally written, you just want to take a moment to send a personal note expressing your interest in the home. Provide the sellers with a little information about you and your family and let them know what it is you like— or love —about their property.

Plans for the Future

Can you already picture family dinners in the beautiful dining room or summer gatherings in the backyard? These are the sort of details you’ll want to share with the sellers. Go light on any talk of renovation — some sellers have a strong, emotional attachment to their homes and might not welcome any images of drastic change. 

Find Common Ground

Take time out to do a little research and see what you might have in common with the sellers. You may both have an affinity for gardening, or maybe you’re both raising young children. Discovering any areas of common ground can help strengthen your connection. Ideally, after reading your letter, the sellers will feel like they know you.

Short and Sweet

Finally, the sellers don’t need your entire life story to make the connection. An unnecessarily long letter won’t always help your case. Try to make sure the letter will only take a couple minutes to read at most. This shows that you’re respectful of their time and you’ll still have plenty of space to make your case.

Writing an offer letter takes very little time, and could very well be the thing that separates you from any competition.

If you’d like a recommendation for an experienced, local Realtor, or if you need to get pre-approved for a mortgage, please reach out to us. We’re always happy to help.