NEED TO KNOW
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Recently, Jocelyn Solis and her husband purchased their first home
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During the day, Solis’ husband would usually go to the new house after work to get started on the updates
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Then one day, Solis received an unexpected text from her husband. He had sent her a photo of a letter, saying they had received it in the mail from the daughter of the previous homeowner
When Jocelyn Solis and her husband began searching for their first home to purchase, they participated in a first-time homebuyer program, where they learned not to buy the first house they saw.
But the moment the Graham, Wash.-based couple came across the first house on their list, they fell in love. They immediately submitted an offer, throwing that “rule” right out the door.
“There was a lot to love about this house,” Solis tells PEOPLE exclusively. “The first thing that drew me to this specific house was the nature aspect of it. The flowers, trees, little critters and sounds of birds. I knew it’d be perfect for my now 1-year-old daughter. She’s always been obsessed with nature; it’s the only thing that never fails to soothe her ever since she was a newborn.”
Jocelyn Solis
A closeup of the house
At the time they bought the house, Solis, 25, explains that the couple was still finishing the lease on the home they were renting. This worked out well, as there were some renovations they needed to complete before moving into their new place. So during the day, Solis’ husband would usually go to the new house after work to get started on the updates.
Then, one day, Solis received an unexpected text from her husband. He had sent her a photo of a letter, saying they had received it in the mail from the daughter of the previous homeowner.
“At first, I thought it was some sort of joke, but as I kept reading, I quickly realized it was a sincere letter,” Solis tells PEOPLE.
“The more I read, the bigger my smile grew. I reread it a couple of times just to take it all in,” the registered nurse adds.
Jocelyn Solis
A closeup of the letter
While the letter brought Solis to tears, there was one part that stood out the most.
In that section, the previous owner’s daughter mentioned that her parents “loved a good party on the deck,” which Solis says was one of her own first thoughts, too, when she saw it.
“Knowing that it holds so many great memories of the past and that I get to add onto that is such an honor,” she says. “I think what stood out the most to me, though, is the way she ‘spoke’ through that letter. It was like I could physically see her in front of me. So much emotion and care.”
“I remember telling my husband, ‘This wasn’t just a house, it was their home for over 30 years,’ ” she adds. “It made me appreciate its quirks, knowing that everything here was done with intent.”
After the letter sank in, Solis decided to take to TikTok to share more about it. She felt it might touch others as deeply as it touched her.
When she posted it, she thought it might get a couple hundred likes — maybe a few thousand — but never imagined it would reach over 4.8 million people. Still, she says she’s not entirely surprised.
“Most of the responses have been really positive,” she says. “Lots of people sharing their own stories of either doing the same thing for their childhood homes or receiving similar letters from previous homeowners. Others have begged for me to invite her over — which I do plan on doing!”
“Some of my favorite responses are those telling me how much great energy the house has; it makes it feel like the fresh start my marriage needed after a stressful first year as new parents,” she adds.
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Jocelyn Solis
The back of the letter
Eventually, Solis decided to reach out to the daughter of the previous homeowners. Fortunately, she had included her contact information in the letter. When they spoke for the first time, Solis could tell she was just as sweet and genuine as she was in writing.
“I think it provided reassurance for her to learn a little about us and the type of people we are,” she says. “I hope she knows her home is in good hands.”
As for the letter, Solis says it’s in safekeeping for now. But in the future, she hopes to frame it and keep it as part of the house for any future owners.
“If you feel it in your heart to do something like this for a home you’re leaving and loved, do it,” the mom says. “I know there may be a fear of coming off as ‘weird,’ but you’ll never know what could’ve been if you don’t try.”
She continues, “In fact, in the letter she herself expressed ‘not sure if that’s weird or not.’ And no, I didn’t find it weird at all. If anything, I hope to create a friendship with her and her family.”
Read the original article on People
