With the current state of the real estate market across the country, homebuyers have to do everything they can for their offer to stick out above the others. Some have begun writing letters to the sellers to explain why their offer should be chosen.
It might sound like a good way to get an offer to stand out, but writing a letter or including pictures in with an offer can lead to lead trouble for the real estate professional who’s involved in the transaction.
Why can letters to sellers lead to problems?
Real estate professionals must be licensed. As part of holding that license, they must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. One of these is the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination during these transactions. Buyers can’t make decisions on factors besides the offer that’s written on the home. Whether a buyer has children or where the adults went to college can’t play a role. The color of their skin or their marital status also can’t have a part in this decision.
When a homebuyer writes a letter to a seller, they may include information that could lead to a claim that discrimination was a part of the reason the offer was chosen. It can be hard to prove this, but it comes with great consequences for the real estate professional even though they aren’t the ones who made the decision.
There are many actions that can lead to a real estate agent being in danger of losing their license. They may also be at risk of having to pay fines if it’s found that they did violate certain regulations. When any of these occur, it’s best to work with someone who’s familiar with these situations.