# Sell My House? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469 "2015-10-04T03:56:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/1 "2015-10-04T03:56:42Z")
I just received a letter with an unsolicited offer to buy my house which I JUST bought and moved into in april. Anyone else have a similar experience and if so what did you do? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/2 "2015-10-04T04:29:01Z")
Well the first question you need to ask is if someone wants to buy because there is going to be a new road going through, a new shopping center or similar development–in which case you want to wait so you can get top dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/3 "2015-10-04T05:29:29Z")
I think there is a decent chance this is just a scam. You get on all kind of lists when you buy a house. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/4 "2015-10-04T05:36:36Z")
Probably some kind of mass mailing to see if they get any takers. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/5 "2015-10-04T06:08:27Z")
Really? I get those letters all the time, and I rent! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/6 "2015-10-04T09:10:25Z")
I purchased my house only 2 1/2 years ago. I’ve occasionally received junk mail from realtors asking if I want to sell my house. I think they must hit people at random hoping they can get a commission by selling the house. I just toss the flyers and junk mail straight into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/7 "2015-10-04T10:42:00Z")
We used to get them from time to time - generally in the form of “We just sold your neighbor’s house at 123 Happy Lane - we can sell yours too!!” This happened a lot during the bubble before it burst in '08. I just tossed all such inquiries. When we do decide to sell, we’ll pick out our own realtor, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/8 "2015-10-04T11:19:39Z")
Just after our offer on this house was accepted, we got a call from our realtor to say another party, who’d also been through the house, was offering us $5000, over our price, to sell it to them! I mean the ink was barely dry! But we’d spent too long looking and were so happy our search was over we never even considered it. And I’m still glad we didn’t, 15 yrs later, I’m still in love with this little house, the location, etc. Plus, it’s more than doubled in value. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/9 "2015-10-04T18:37:25Z")
well, I checked out the names and agencies, and other contact info listed in the letter, and it was all legit. I’m sort of leaning towards mass mailing, but at the same time, I dunno. I have a bit of bias as a mover. the local hospitals and a few of the bigger corporations have been moving talent into the area, by purchasing homes for them sight unseen (no lady the armiore will NOT go up the stairs with out the use of a sawzall, its wider and taller than the stairwell). So I am tempted to call them and see what the offer is, could be worthwhile, even though probably isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/10 "2015-10-04T19:31:46Z")
I would what my dad always did when he got junk mail , he would tell us to file it in the trash. We didn’t have recycling then . I am always getting letter from realtors wanting to sell my condo for me. I don’t do business that way, I made the phone call if I want to sell my house or condo, I have more control that way . One realtor came to my condo wanting to sell it and told her " NO" . She came back with a guy and tried to force their way into my home and I told them " To get the HELL out of my house !" I called my realtor and found out the market was really hot for nice condos and had my realtor sell it. You could try calling the realtor you used and see if could make money on your house . Did your neighbors get the same letter? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/11 "2015-10-05T00:32:14Z")
I get these all the time. They’re just “flippers,” hoping to get a hit on an under-water homeowner who is desperate to move. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/12 "2015-10-05T01:54:00Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > You could try calling the realtor you used and see if could make money on your house . Did your neighbors get the same letter? didn’t actually use a realtor, bought the house back from my dad (gave it to him to cancel joint debt with him during my divorce years back). Just signed a simple deed, erm…shit, more than that but Im too damn lazy to go dig out the paperwork. Anyway, no fuss no muss:) from Beowulf (since I don’t know how to do the multi-quote thing from different posts) They’re just “flippers,” hoping to get a hit on an under-water homeowner who is desperate to move. I kinda thought that might be the case, or perhaps they got the address wrong by one. My neighbor next door recently inheirited so she moved and the house is currently empty ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/13 "2015-10-05T03:40:04Z")
My sister owned a very nice home with no intention of selling but did get an offer too good to refuse so she sold it. Someone saw her home and just had to have it. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/14 "2015-10-05T05:44:16Z")
I was getting offers to sell my home within weeks of buying it. No way! This is a nice place, and it was a lot of trouble to get in here. Forget it. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/15 "2015-10-05T07:49:00Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I get these all the time. > > They’re just “flippers,” hoping to get a hit on an under-water homeowner who is desperate to move. Not necessarily. Somebody upthread mentioned getting them from area realtors, which is what happens in my area. I get one every time a house sells in my neighborhood and I think every single realtor in the area sends them out. I’d love to move but my husband doesn’t want to because of our location, location, location. He has a point. OTOH we’d make a killing because of it. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/16 "2015-10-05T15:43:14Z")
I get two types of unsolicited offers. One is from realtors in the area looking for work (these are often the “I just sold a home in your area” ones). The other is from realtors saying “I have a client who desperately wants to buy in your complex-are you thinking of listing?” I think the latter may be actual clients. The townhouse next door just sold to somebody who had been renting in the complex and was looking to buy but wanted to stay in the complex. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/17 "2015-10-05T16:39:05Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > from realtors saying “I have a client who desperately wants to buy”… I think the latter may be actual clients. Why do you think they are actual clients? Just because the letter is phrased “I have a client”, instead of “our real estate office is desperate for listings”? In my first home, I used to get lots of “I have a client” letters .But that was way back in the 1980’s, before computers–so it was easy to tell that the letter was a fake, just by feeling the paper. The letters were always mimeographed, or pre-printed. Back then, an honest, “real” personal letter was typed on a typewriter, a physical process which left small indentations on the paper. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/18 "2015-10-05T16:56:10Z")
A couple years ago the houses on our block all received a letter which said the writer wanted to move into our neighborhood and wanted to know if anyone was considering selling. I happen to know this was a real person and not a scam or a realtor because the letter writer is now our next door neighbor who bought directly from the previous owner after she responded to the letter. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/19 "2015-10-05T18:35:41Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > well, I checked out the names and agencies, and other contact info listed in the letter, and it was all legit. > > I’m sort of leaning towards mass mailing, but at the same time, I dunno. > I have a bit of bias as a mover. the local hospitals and a few of the bigger corporations have been moving talent into the area, by purchasing homes for them sight unseen (no lady the armiore will NOT go up the stairs with out the use of a sawzall, its wider and taller than the stairwell). So I am tempted to call them and see what the offer is, could be worthwhile, even though probably isn’t. How is your market? Ours is very hot, with not a lot of inventory and lots of potential buyers, so realtors are looking for houses they can steer clients to while minimizing competition from other buyers - and getting both ends of the commission. Wasn’t a lot of real action on this front during the crash, though. Hell, I get those letters for my Prius. Same reason. More demand then supply, someone tries to create supply. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469/20 "2015-10-06T04:06:08Z")
Yeah, the housing market is pretty strong right now where I am, inventories of existing housing is low, apartments are once more going up like pop tarts all over the place. Heck I even moved a couple of families out who sold their homes fully furnished, and as I said, there are a couple of corporations and the hospitals buying houses and moving talent into the area. Probably a third to a full half of the moves into the area I’ve delivered this year (say 20 or 30 out of the total) and I’m just one person on a team of 12. As a slight hijack of my own thread, Its sort of funny, because one of the more upper income and desired areas of town to live in is a roughly 4 mile x 4 mile registered historical area that’s right around 100 years old. So most of the houses have tiny rooms narrow doors, suicidally steep stairs etc. And a lot of the people moving into these houses their new employers bought for them are coming from places like AZ or TX where most housing is more open and wider, and so the furniture is way to large to fit. Yes the sawsall comment earlier was an actual rather frustrated exchange with a customer who moved here from New Mexico into a house the company bought for her in the most fashionable part of town. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sell-my-house/733469.md?page=2)