Making Buyers Feel at Home | Welcome Letter & Housewarming Gift
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From the moment we made an offer, the process of purchasing our new home wasn’t easy. The sellers weren’t as kind & welcoming as we would have hoped, but that just made me more anxious to wash the walls clean with white. I wanted to restore some of the homes original charm adding in traditional English elements, while making it brighter and airier then I was feeling inside. I can’t wait to show you the progress {& see it myself} next week!
For now, as I watch our belongings being packed, I’m spending my energy on welcoming the buyers of our home through a welcome letter & housewarming gift. I want to make their transition as effortless & fun as possible.
What to Include:
Welcome Letter: I started by writing them a welcome letter. Just a line or two with a list of resources & our favorite activities that we enjoyed in our backyard & neighborhood. It’s simple, but I’m offering it as a free printable should you choose to do the same when selling your home! I shared tips like how to access the creek & the “secret trail” that lies beyond it. This is also a great place to share things like how to care for countertops, garage door codes {so they can easily reset them}, etc. Sandy, of the Reluctant Entertainer created an adorable DIY map if the buyers are moving from out of town.
The basics: Keys & garage door openers. It seems so simple {& is usually required by contract}, but in the hustle & bustle of packing, don’t forget to set them aside.
Paint: I listed all of the paint colors in our welcome letter, but Jen of iheart organizing has a great printable paint chart as well! When possible, I think it’s kind to leave behind the paint, but listing paint colors & sheen can prevent buyers from having to repaint an entire space.
Instructions & Warranties: Warranties are often transferable. If you had a new roof or just installed new appliances, make sure to leave the details of those warranties with the buyers. Instructions for things like how to operate the sprinkler system can eliminate guesswork & added stress.
Supplies: Leave a roll of toilet paper, hand soap & a roll of paper towels for their convenience & a few bottles of water.
Extras: Is there something that adds a little to your home that you don’t necessarily need at your next home? Leave it for the home buyers {after checking with your realtor}. I have opted to leave the patio lights, lavender planters on our front porch & mirror in the walk-in closet.
Welcome Gift: Our realtor told us that the buyers have 2 girls around 7 years old. While moving is exciting, it can also be a difficult transition for children. To keep them occupied & excited about exploring their new home, I put together a welcome gift {coming soon}.
Do you have any additional suggestions? Have you left a housewarming gift to buyers before?
Kelly says
This is so sweet! I had the same buying experience as you and was happy to wash the walls white. I’ll keep this in mind whenever I sell!
Ashley Berry says
I love this idea! When we bought our home the sellers were far from easy…in fact we had about 4 hours left in the day before our 10 day inspection period ended and they finally told their realtor they wanted to add an extra day to go over our requests before submitting their final offer. And our house had been on the market at that point for 6 months so you would have thought they’d be quick to close… We will definitely be doing something like this if we ever have to move.
Julie says
It can be so frustrating, can’t it Ashley? I liken it to paying it forward! Best wishes in your home!
Audrielle says
So thoughtful.
Love it! Got me thinking, if u had an old house maybe list some of the history of it that you know
Julie says
That’s a great idea, Audrielle! I love it!
Kate says
That is such a sweet idea! I would be thrilled to receive a welcome package like this. Moving, buying, and selling are all so stressful. This is a wonderful way to put everyone at ease and make the process a little easier!
Kim says
What a thoughtful and kind thing to do! As we enter into this process of getting our house on the market and sold, I’m adding this to the end of my list of things to do. Thanks for sharing this idea!