The couple were hoping to land their dream home but a bidding war made them fear it wouldn’t be likely – until a heartfelt letter through the owner’s letterbox helped
A couple who found themselves in a bidding war over their dream home have revealed how they convinced the seller to accept their lower offer over that of a property developer. When it comes to buying or selling a home, it’s fair to say that money usually does the talking.
At the start of 2026, there were signs that the housing market was beginning to turn a corner, but tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty over what a new prime minister will mean for the tax landscape have dampened activity. The Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75% since the start of 2026 as it takes a cautionary approach to rising inflation, meaning mortgage rates are unlikely to become significantly cheaper any time soon.
Recent research by Zoopla also reveals that homes are taking longer to sell than usual, partly due to homeowners overvaluing their properties and a lack of buyer demand.
Yet it wasn’t that long ago that homes were being snapped off the market within hours of being listed, with multiple offers flooding in well above the asking price.
It was during this period that Adam and Stacey spotted a house in their town come onto the market — just as they had decided they’d outgrown their current home.
Having viewed the property twice, the couple were completely smitten, and even their children had begun to imagine what life would look like living there. After making an offer on the property, Stacey and Adam were devastated to learn they had been outbid by a property developer.
Rather than upping their bid or walking away from their dream home, the couple decided to pen a heartfelt letter to the owner and pop it through their letterbox.
The letter read: “Dear Mr G, we are Adam and Stacey and we live nearby in the town with our two young children. We currently live in an older property which we have transformed and put our stamp on.
“It’s a home that we’re very proud of but we have outgrown it and are ready to move on. We have viewed your mother’s home twice now and have fallen in love with it.
“We detoured through the town just to drive by it again. Our children have also viewed it with us and particularly like the Jack and Jill bathroom between what would be their rooms and they love running around the garden.
“They’ve also requested chickens if we were successful and would name them Pasta and Cheese. I understand we have been outbid by a developer and while I understand that money talks, if you were ever to consider that your childhood home could go to a family who would love it and bring it joy forever then I hope maybe you would think of us.
“We’re really good at looking after older houses, I promise. Regardless your home is beautiful and we wish you the best of luck with the sale and thank you for your time.”
After receiving the heartfelt letter, the homeowner decided to accept the couple’s offer, and the family have stayed true to their word – right down to keeping the chickens named Pasta and Cheese.
Stacey and Adam have since set up an Instagram account, @end_of_the_row, devoted entirely to documenting the renovation of their period home.
