How to Craft a Real Estate Offer Letter that Gets the House

Consider what the home means to the seller. It could be the house where they raised their children, full of countless birthday parties and the family dog running around the backyard. It can mean a lot to them knowing that they’re selling it to someone who will take care of it and (hopefully) love it the same way they do.

Top New York real estate agent Stephanie Morgan, who has over two decades of experience, says that “Real estate is a highly emotional transaction,” and that whenever she got the sense that a home held sentimental value, she would work with her clients on crafting a letter.

Offer letters aren’t appropriate in every circumstance, however. If a house is being sold as part of a divorce or under some other traumatic or contentious circumstance, then it might be best to avoid stirring up potentially conflicted emotions. Such letters may also make little difference if the house being sold was an investment property or if other offers are significantly higher than yours.

What’s the risk in writing offer letters?

While a real estate offer letter can help you connect with a seller and make your offer more memorable, it’s not without its downsides. In some cases, what feels like a personal touch can open the door to legal concerns or unintended bias issues.

In recent years, buyer offer letters have become a lot more controversial because of concerns that they could unintentionally violate Fair Housing laws. In 2021, Oregon became the first state to ban buyer “love letters,” although a federal court later considered the ban unconstitutional. Because of these concerns, don’t be surprised if your agent advises against sending a letter or if a seller won’t consider offers that include one.

The reason is simple: sellers aren’t allowed to make decisions based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, disability, national origin, or family status. So, for example, if the seller learns your race or family status through your offer letter, even through something as casual as your signature, and then uses that in the decision-making process, this can put them in legal jeopardy.

Even when a seller doesn’t actually use that information to make a decision, it can still be a problem if anyone perceives or thinks that they did.

Complaints about offer letters causing Fair Housing issues are pretty rare, but as Morgan notes, there’s been “a surge in private remarks from Realtors” saying they won’t accept offers that include these love letters. In her own practice, she’s stopped sending them by default and now only includes a sentence or two when there’s a clear, simple connection to the home.

How to write a winning letter

With all the concerns around Fair Housing and whether offer letters can even be used, it’s fair to question if they’re still worth writing at all. The truth is, a real estate offer letter can still help you stand out when it’s done the right way and kept appropriate. That’s why it helps to understand the building blocks of a good real estate offer letter before you put one together.

Use actual paper and a pen

A handwritten real estate offer letter feels more personal and intentional, which can help it stand out in a stack of printed offers. It gives the impression that you’ve taken extra time and care, rather than sending something generic. Just keep it neat and easy to read so the focus stays on your message, not the handwriting.

Be sure to greet the seller by name

Starting a letter with “Dear seller” simply does not give off a personable vibe. You should be able to get the name from your agent if you don’t have it already. Using their name helps set a more respectful and human tone right from the start. It shows you’ve put in a little extra effort, which can make your letter more memorable.

Introduce yourself, but don’t give away too many details

You want them to have a sense of who you are, but not so much information that they can start finding reasons to dislike you. Less is more, especially when it comes to any information that may hint at your status within any protected class, as mentioned above.

Find common ground to make a personal connection

This can be tricky because many homes are staged and depersonalized. Morgan mentions that she instructs her clients to stage their homes for exactly that reason. She says, “I don’t want people to be able to read my clients and understand where they’re coming from. It’s a bit of a poker game.”

But if you notice a beautiful garden outside, or an impeccable kitchen, you can mention the fact that you are an avid gardener or an accomplished cook. Is there a dog house in the backyard? Tell them about your plans for a new puppy.

Include details about why you love the house

Talk about the specific things that made you fall for the house instead of keeping it too general. For someone who has lived in the house a long time, those details are things sellers love, too. And besides, everyone likes to be complimented.

Maybe it’s the natural light in the kitchen, the backyard space, or how the layout feels right for your routine. These details help the seller see that you’re not just buying any home, but you’re drawn to theirs in particular. The more specific you are, the more genuine and memorable your letter will feel.

Add (a few) financial details

This is especially beneficial if you’re not offering the full asking price. You don’t need to over-explain, but a brief, respectful note can help clarify your position and show you’re being realistic with your offer. You can also mention that you’re preapproved for a mortgage, which helps reassure the seller that your financing is solid. Keep it simple and confident, as this section is simply about building trust, not negotiating heavily through the letter.

Point out where you can be flexible

If you can let the seller pick the closing date or otherwise have the ability to offer concessions here and there, tell the seller about that. Not only does it inform them of your flexibility, but it lets them know you are personable and approachable about it.

Don’t forget to say thank you

Thank the seller for taking the time to read your letter and consider your offer. It’s a simple gesture, but it goes a long way in showing respect and appreciation to the seller. Ending on a grateful note helps leave a positive final impression.

Keep the real estate offer letter short

You don’t want to overwhelm the seller with an essay. A long, drawn-out letter can lose impact fast, especially when sellers are reviewing multiple offers. Focus on the most meaningful details and cut anything that isn’t essential. A concise letter is often more powerful because it respects the seller’s time and keeps your message clear.

What to leave out of the offer letter

Now that you know what to include in the letter, it’s important to examine what not to include and why.

• Don’t get too personal: Any information that identifies your status within a protected class is a no-no. So be sure to leave that out and instead focus on commonalities and details about the house itself.
• Don’t tell the seller what you want to change: Focus on the positives only, not what you don’t love. Sometimes too much information is bad.

Morgan adds that sellers “don’t want to hear what you’re going to do differently because it’s almost like a judgment that they were doing something wrong with their home.”

• Don’t whine: An offer letter is not a place to complain, but a place to appeal. If you think the price is unfair or you’re unhappy about the seller’s timing needs, this isn’t the place to bring that up.
• Don’t go overboard with financial details: There is such a thing as giving away too much. You don’t want to leave them either afraid you won’t be able to secure a loan or hint that you’re well off enough that you won’t want to negotiate the price.
• Don’t contradict the purchase agreement: Try to leave the details vague in the offer letter (it’s more about emotion) and let the purchase agreement handle the specifics. But if you do mention the price or another detail, make sure it aligns with the legal document.
• Don’t include a photo. You might come across advice suggesting it, but it’s generally not a good idea and can actually work against you. It’s safer to leave it out altogether. This ties back to Fair Housing concerns, as adding a photo could unintentionally reveal protected characteristics, which creates legal risk for the seller.

Real estate offer letter example

If you’re not sure how to put everything together, it helps to start with a simple example you can follow. Below is a real estate offer letter example template you can customize to fit your situation and make it your own.

Ready, set, write!

Remember, the offer letter is an appeal to emotion. It should be short, sweet, and personable without revealing information that sets anyone up for Fair Housing violation issues. In other words, focus on the property and universal topics. Highlight what you love about the place, mention common hobbies or pets, and leave out anything negative.

And if you’re unsure what to include or whether an offer letter even makes sense in your situation, your real estate agent is your best resource. They can guide you on what’s appropriate, what local norms look like, and when it’s better to skip the letter altogether. Use HomeLight’s Agent Match tool to partner with a local expert today.

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