Utah family surprised by responses from Bay Area homeowners to postcard asking to buy a house

Postcard helps Utah family land home in Tampa Bay

Lloyd Sowers reports

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - The competition among people trying to buy a home around Tampa Bay is fierce. A new report shows home prices are up nearly 33% in Tampa over the past year – the second-highest increase in the nation behind Phoenix.

The exact numbers aren't as important to families who have to find a place to live.

A family in Salt Lake City decided to make a personal appeal to thousands of homeowners in the Tampa Bay Area. They sent a postcard with their photo, saying "We’re looking for a home in your neighborhood."

It was a last resort, Jenny Gamboa said.

"We put offers on houses and even cash offers," she said. "It was crazy. We would get beat out by other people. Each house would have like 10-15 offers."

Buying or renting: Housing prices aren't slowing down in Bay Area

Over in St. Pete, city leaders and the community met to discuss rising rents and skyrocketing home prices. Renters and buyers are both in a tough spot because prices do not appear to be leveling off.

Some who received the postcards thought it was another trick by a big company buying up houses. But it was the Gamboas pleading with home sellers to choose their smiling faces over other bidders.

"People are offering like $50,000 over, $60,000, up to $100,000 over asking price. It’s crazy," Gamboa said.

She and her husband hatched the postcard plan. He’s a realtor in Utah and she used to do ads for her parents’ business.

"I just used my Photoshop skills and made a little postcard and sent it out to a couple thousand people," said Gamboa.

Corporate home buying worsens housing market

Companies are buying up rental properties faster than they can be listed for sale, squeezing renters and buyers totally out of the market.

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She sent more than 5,000 to homes in certain neighborhoods where people who received them did something surprising.

They called the number on the postcard and were nice.

"My biggest surprise is that everyone was kind," says Gamboa.

MORE: Tampa Bay area home prices spike 32%, report says; 2nd-highest jump in US

She now realizes her family may find something more than just sunshine in the Tampa Bay area.

"This was a good sign. We’re moving to a really nice place," said Gamboa. "If anybody wants to do this approach, I would say it works."

In the end, it was a local real estate agent who found a home for them. They’re now under contract in Palm Harbor. However, they’re searching for a rental house while that home is being remodeled.