Some realtors say homeowners should stop writing 'love letters' to sellers, say practice is unfair
By WEWS Staff
ABC Action News
Published:

CLEVELAND — The era of home buyers writing a letter to sellers in an effort to sway their decision appears to be over. Oregon recently passed a new law effective in 2022 which bans buyers from sending letters to sellers as a way to influence their decision. The law is the latest shift in an ever-changing real estate landscape, where buyers are offering to waive inspections, cover appraisal gaps and make an offer sight-unseen. Seth Task, President of Ohio Realtors, explained that while buyers would like to compliment a seller on their fenced-in yard for children to grow or a spacious living room for Christmas morning, those comments could present problems. He says he no longer accepts "love letters" from buyers and encourages other realtors to do the same to avoid any possible discrimination. "If a decision is made based on the letter versus other letters, it's clearly a fair housing issue," Task said.