Tips for LGBT Home Buyers When Writing a Letter to the Seller

If you’re looking for tips for LGBT home buyers who are trying to compete in Sacramento’s hot seller’s market, you’ve come to the right place. Every agent on the Elizabeth Weintraub Team loves working with LGBT home buyers. We absolutely do not discriminate and we take caution to try to ensure our clients never face discrimination. But when you’ve got idiots like U. S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher saying home sellers should not have to sell to gay or lesbian people, it confuses some people. Fortunately, it did not confuse the National Association of Realtors, which promptly withdrew its campaign contributions to Rohrabacher.

The issue of LGBT home buyers writing a letter to the seller came up yesterday. At first blush, the agent’s first instincts was to advise the LGBT home buyers to put it all out there, take a stand, be who they are and be proud of it. Problem was the seller of the property was born in 1926. Really old people are not always known for insightful tolerance. And no, I do not intend to argue ageist issues or discuss those who discriminate against older people. Just saying, you’ve got Grandpa Joe who’s moving kinda slow at the junction and does not necessarily understand a thing about LGBT.

The agent thought back to heterosexual couples who wrote letters to the seller, talking about how they just got married. How excited they are to buy their first home. About plans to start a family. Why can’t these LGBT home buyers express the same sentiment? Good question. And it’s best answered by considering these two additional questions:

1. Do the LGBT home buyers need to make a statement or do they want to buy a house?
2. Since when is it anybody’s business about your personal life or sexual orientation?

Home sellers want to sell their home to an owner occupant, generally. Sellers take great delight in knowing the new home buyers feel a connection to their home. After all, it’s years of memories in that home for the seller. They want the new buyers to fall in love with the home. To express their enthusiasm for the property, to show the love. Every person on earth can do this. This is not hiding who you are, it’s just not focusing on other aspects.

My advice for LGBT home buyers is let your desire for the home shine through in your letter. Put your heart out there, not the gender you identify with nor your sexual preferences. Because it is not any of the seller’s business. Further, California law prohibits discrimination based on sexual preferences, but you probably know that. What people outside of the LGBT community often do not realize is that the federal Fair Housing Law does not include sexual orientation as a protected class.

After all this of time, there is presently a bill before Congress to amend the 1968 housing law to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.

It’s only taken 50 years. After this, maybe we can pass the ERA?