This week’s Q&A column is sponsored and written by Hope Peele of The Peele Group and Corcoran McEnearney, the leading real estate firm in Alexandria. To learn more about this article and relevant Alexandria market news, contact The Peele Group at 703.244.6115 or email [email protected]. You may also submit your questions to Corcoran McEnearney via email for response in future columns.
Question: What’s the deal with buyer love letters?
Answer: I’ve had a lot of questions lately, from both buyers and sellers, about buyer “love letters”.
Many sellers I work with are curious about buyers who might be purchasing their home, and sometimes buyers are hoping that a letter from them will encourage the sellers to choose them and help seal the deal.
Reading buyer letters, however, can come with many hidden risks that home sellers might not expect. Here are a few examples of statements that might seem harmless, but in fact tell the seller about characteristics that are protected classes.
“We can already imagine opening presents beneath the Christmas tree, in front of that beautiful bay window, and hiding Easter eggs in the lovely yard.”
Religion – While this doesn’t mention an exact religion, the holidays are typically Christian and can give the impression that this buyer is Christian.
“This cul-de-sac will be perfect for us to teach our daughter to ride her bike.”
Familial status – Some sellers would love for the home in which they raised their own children to go to another family with children. However, it is a fair housing violation to pick a buyer based on whether or not they have children.
“My wife and I just graduated from Bryn Mawr and can’t wait to make this our forever home!”
Sexual Orientation – The fact that both members of this couple graduated from a women’s college might be a reference to their sexual orientation. A person’s actual, or perceived, sexual orientation is a protected class. If there is any indication of the sexual orientation of the couple purchasing the home, it could be a red flag for housing discrimination.
“I grew up in Hong Kong, and my parents, who still live there, would love to stay in the guest suite when they are visiting.”
Nation of Origin – This statement doesn’t necessarily confirm national identity, but this is a protected class. What’s important to remember is that any perception of preferential treatment could be a minefield for fair housing violations.
“This location is perfect, since it is just a few blocks from our Temple.”
Religion – You probably guessed this one! Even if there are multiple local temples, and this doesn’t necessarily indicate a specific religion, a seller should not give the impression that they are favoring buyers who have a religious practice.
Any photos!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case, it could be worth thousands of dollars! It might be nice to see a cute family who will potentially be taking over the care of a beloved home, but it is never a good idea to look at photos when deciding which offer to accept. In Virginia, the protected classes are race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, and disability. Any one of these could be indicated in a photo.
Keep in mind that fair housing discrimination applies whether you are discriminating against someone, OR choosing someone because of their status. Think about it this way. If you also grew up in Hong Kong, and love the commonality between you and the potential buyer, it would be discriminatory against everyone who is NOT from Hong Kong.
It is also important to remember that this information could come to a seller by means other than a letter from the buyers. If a seller waits outside in their car while visitors come to view their home, that can also open the door to all kinds of potential accusations of discrimination. For this reason, I always advise my sellers to stay as far away as possible when showings are scheduled.
As a buyer, it is important to remember that there are many other things that you can do to appeal to a seller. Accommodating their timeline or putting down a higher earnest money deposit are both much better ways to give yourself a competitive advantage!
We love working with both sellers and buyers, and can help you navigate this sensitive aspect of real estate. Please give us a call or email if you have any questions about this topic!
Hope Peele is a licensed real estate agent with Corcoran McEnearney in Alexandria, Virginia. She grew up in Old Town and currently lives in Del Ray. As a partner with The Peele Group, Hope is dedicated to guiding her clients successfully through the many-faceted process of buying or selling a home. Contact Hope at 703.244.6115.
If you would like a question answered in our weekly column or to set up an appointment with one of our associates, please email: [email protected] or call 703-549-9292.
Corcoran McEnearney, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, corcoranmce.com. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
