Last year, the National Association of Realtors put out guidance discouraging agents from accepting love letters from buyers, but the practice remains popular nationwide.
“An example—when a letter comes in, if it describes the family situation or circumstances, whatever that may be, or indicates or gives a clue to a religious or any other protected class, there’s always the risk that a seller could be accused of making a decision based upon inappropriate factors,” Knighton said.
Oregon is the first state to make it illegal. The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Mark Meek (D-Clackamas), is a real estate agent.
The sale should come down solely to the terms and conditions of your offer, Knighton said. He acknowledged it’s a tough market for buyers right now, but said love letters rarely tip the scales.
“You really have to put your best foot forward, make it a clean offer as possible,” he said. “The truth is, this is a incredibly strong seller’s market. There’s 0.7 months of inventory on the market. The more months of inventory, the closer you get to a buyer’s market, but right now it’s such a strong sellers market that all the buyers can do is work hard and do their best to put their best foot forward in the offer.”
