Weird and stalkery? Or ok?

[*myfoursons]

We love our neighborhood, but would like a larger lot/more privacy. There's a house that backs up to a forest, and is my ideal location. I have NO idea what this house looks like on the inside, but I'm willing to renovate a house on the interior (and actually would love to make a house all my own). It's a really unique lot in this area, so it's not like there is a lot of similar inventory.

So all that said, this house isn't for sale. I don't know the owners, but know they are in their late 50s, early 60s. It is a large home, and my thinking is that they may be ready to down-size soon. Would it be crazy to drop them a note to let them know we are interested in their home if they plan on moving? Would you be put off if you got a note like this? My thoughts are if they're thinking about moving, but are put off by the idea of the bad housing market, a note might be a good thing. Or they might think we're stalkers.

Thoughts?

[SnuggleBuggles]

There was a house I considered doing this with but I already knew it was on the high, high end of our budget and, thus, letting them know how much we love the house wouldn't give us much of a leg to stand on with negotiation.

If they think you are weird, no big deal, imo. They are strangers so their opinion doesn't matter too much. ;) If the property is really that unique, you probably aren't the only person to contact them.

[sarahsthreads]

Well, for a long time - when the housing market was better - we'd get letters in our mailbox at least once a month from families that were looking for a house on our street and if we were considering moving to please let them know. It hasn't happened in a while, but I can only assume it's because there was more development in the area. Or maybe because our landscaping is perpetually unkempt looking? :ROTFLMAO:

Anyway, I didn't consider it stalkerish. Just kind of funny, because even though this was pre-kids, we had bought the house because of the location (easy walking distance to a superb school) and weren't planning to give it up anytime soon!

Sarah :)

[sweetsue98]

You have nothing to lose. The worst they could say is NO. Do it!

[pb&j]

Not weird. This happened to my parents all the time; they actually ended up selling to their next door neighbor!

[MamaMolly]

I don't think it is stalkerish at all. When I was growing up we occasionally had people ring the bell for the same reason. You have nothing to loose, I say go for it!

[Melaine]

if we were in the market, I would definitely do this with the house I grew up in....it's 10 minutes away and I loved it.

and, if by some miracle, we got a note like that in our mailbox, we'd be thrilled because we would love to move but are overwhelmed by putting the houses up for sale.

[JoyNChrist]

I did this for our dream house (which was actually built by FIL, who is a contractor). I got a really sweet note back from the elderly lady who owns it, saying that she and her husband hope that the house will remain in their family, but that she would pass my information along to her children in the event that one of them doesn't want to live there after they pass on. So who knows...I figured it couldn't hurt. :)

[mom3boys]

We got a letter about a year or so ago from someone who said he and his family were interested in moving to our street. Described his family, why he wanted to move there, and had his e-mail address. He must have done this for several people as it was the street, not our house specifically, that he wanted.

I actually contacted him by e-mail as we were (and are) planning to sell soon. Nothing ever came of it but, had he followed up, and offered a decent price, we would have sold, even though it was a year earlier than we were planning to sell. I did not think it was stalkerish.

[elbenn]

If they do decide to sell, you can save them the realtor fees (6% here) so the transaction could be beneficial for both of you.

[Momit]

We also used to get those letters when the housing market was better. They usually came from a Realtor on behalf of his/her client. I never thought it was weird or stalkerish.

[mikeys_mom]

We used to get realtors knocking on our door all the time. I never thought it was strange. My sister's realtor actually did that for her. He knew of a family that he thought might want to move soon and their house was exactly what my sister was looking for. He contacted them about it and she did end up buying the house. I'd say give it a try. You have nothing to lose.

[carolinamama]

I would definitely think it would be okay. It does put you at a disadvantage if they do loosely want to sell since they know you want it with regards to negotiations but I don't think that's a big problem if you can afford it and really want it.

Go for it - the worst thing that can happen is to be told that they aren't interested.

[JoyNChrist]

Oops, double post.

[*myfoursons]

Ugh, I know it puts us in a bad place for negotiations. And people around here seem still in a fog about pricing, with houses sitting on the market because they're over-priced by about $100k!

We bought our first house (the one we're in) at the height of the market, and will be taking a loss. That's why I get a little annoyed at the people who aren't grasping the real estate market. Soewhere along the way, they cashed in on the housing bubble. We never did, just lost a ton of money on our first purchase.

[hellokitty]

Not weird at all! I wish someone would offer to buy our house, lol. I want to buy one with more land, since I had living in a development.

[artvandalay]

I would do it, you have nothing to lose. If someone plopped a letter in my mailbox with the right price I'd be elated! We could skip the realtor's fees. We do want to move but the idea of it is really overwhelming for me right now.

[SkyrMommy]

Nope, not weird or stalkerish at all! Both my parents and DH & I have gotten odd letters or requests about our houses. Having waterfront in a limited market seems to be the push. Sometimes it's from a family, rarely from a realtor.

A nicely written letter can't hurt.

[elektra]

I know someone who found their house that way (family from DD's preschool who live on our street). It's a very unique house compared to others on our street and I guess they had always loved it and just approached the former owners one day and said if they ever wanted to sell their house they would love to have it. And then the owners sold it to them!

Not stalkerish. I think it's not uncommon.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I haven't gone as far as writing the letter, but I've been doing a very stalkerish thing similar. Our house is on the market now, but for at least a year, maybe more like 2-3, I've been letting people in our target neighborhood know to keep an ear out. Now that we're in the school but not in the neighborhood with bigger houses, even moms are seeking out potential homes for us on their streets. One dear friend even went knocking on the door across the street from them (4BR/2.5BA home) and asked them in person if they're thinking about moving because we want their house if they do.

Currently, 2 friends are running interference for me on a cul-de-sac home near their houses. They've both emailed neighbors on both sides of one house. Tell me that lady's not going to feel stalked...

[*myfoursons]

I haven't gone as far as writing the letter, but I've been doing a very stalkerish thing similar. Our house is on the market now, but for at least a year, maybe more like 2-3, I've been letting people in our target neighborhood know to keep an ear out. Now that we're in the school but not in the neighborhood with bigger houses, even moms are seeking out potential homes for us on their streets. One dear friend even went knocking on the door across the street from them (4BR/2.5BA home) and asked them in person if they're thinking about moving because we want their house if they do.

Currently, 2 friends are running interference for me on a cul-de-sac home near their houses. They've both emailed neighbors on both sides of one house. Tell me that lady's not going to feel stalked...

I love it! I need to find out if any one I know knows someone on the street ...

[Globetrotter]

We get realtors asking all the time as our school is one of the "desirable" ones.

[veronica]

Our friends have our dream house for sale and I have talked to them about a "rent-to-own". they have been in the new home for a year and the old home is just sitting there, but we would have to sell our home before making a move and the twins have really made life hard, so I never really persued anything. it kills me that it's on my dream street, is twice + the size of our current home and so nicely kept.......I'm sure it's killing them to pay two mortgages!

it's all about timing. if you write the note, you could potentially find out that they timing may be right!

[amldaley]

I would research the property first. Check out the address on www.zillow.com and then access your county property records to see who the owner is, how long they have owned it, and what the current tax value is.

That will give you some idea of what size the lot actually is, etc. Just b/c it backs up to trees, that may be a seperate lot they bought or an undeveloped lot owned by someone else or an unbuildable lot, etc.

Otherwise, yeah - I find nothing creepy at all in sending such a letter.

[edurnemk]

A few years ago, an uncle got a few letters like that, basically saying "if you're ever interested in selling, please contact me" He wasn't weirded out at all, and it made him realize how desirable his location was.

When he did decide to sell, I don't know if he contacted those people or not, though, at least 2 years had passed I think. But he sold very quickly.

[*myfoursons]

I just did my stalker drive-by with the kids and there were 5 deer out front! I want to live there so badly (anD no, not a gardener, so I think deer are adorable).

Off to write my letter.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I just did my stalker drive-by with the kids and there were 5 deer out front! I want to live there so badly (anD no, not a gardener, so I think deer are adorable).

Off to write my letter.
:cheerleader1: go stalker, go stalker...
(me too, btw. funny, but DH and I both drove by and our friends saw us! The DH was in the driveway and the DW was driving down the street towards home. I called her to explain we were stalking the potential house, but she already knew since her DH told her he had just seen us, lol.)

[Puddy73]

Nah, not weird or stalkerish. My ILs bought their last house by leaving a note for the owner. I think it is fairly common in markets with few available houses.