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Ambassador
2,161,048
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

I would call or visit in person. 

Apr 20, 2015 11:01 AM
Rainer
145,780
Jeffrey Hogue
Jeffrey Hogue Realtor Group - Reading, PA
Real Estate Pro in Pennsylvania Since 1993

Text....Unprofessional; email....skiddish; call....more like it; visit....True professional. By scheduling a visit to your office gives you the ability to discuss the issue in detail and come up with a solid game plan.

Apr 20, 2015 02:43 PM
Rainmaker
443,220
Cindy Davis
SD Home Source Realty - San Diego, CA

I would either call or go over to the client. I am not inclined to deliver seriously bad news by email.

Apr 20, 2015 10:49 AM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Debbie Reynolds text or email may not convey 'our' feeling for them. Calling is the best thing.

And I remember, once when my buyer lost a home, not only I called, I sent a personal note with big 'SORRY' in it!

Apr 20, 2015 02:05 PM
Rainmaker
2,443,250
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Neither, I visit them face to face.

Apr 20, 2015 01:15 PM
Rainmaker
1,771,867
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

It depends on how bad and how the client likes to communicate. I prefer a real call but some clients are really into texts and emails.

Apr 20, 2015 12:08 PM
Rainmaker
679,404
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

If I have to deliver bad news to a client I would never text.  I might email just to set the stage, but I would most likely ask that we have a few moments to talk.  I want them to hear the inflections in my voice as we talk.  Text and email can be mis-interpreted and if it's bad news I want to be there to offer support.

Apr 20, 2015 11:21 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Hands down...CALL!

Apr 20, 2015 11:10 AM
Rainer
19,697
Jane Kalinowsky
Pantanella & Partners - Redondo Beach, CA
3rd Generation REALTOR® SRES®, CCS® (Luxury)

Always call. But I also follow up with an e-mail so there is a paper trail.

Apr 22, 2015 08:09 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Always call, but prefer to be standing directly in front of them.

Apr 21, 2015 01:33 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Debbie Reynolds Keep it professional and meet with the client. Bad news can a lot of times be resolved when delivering it face-to-face.

Apr 20, 2015 11:07 PM
Rainmaker
1,661,936
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Call.  If they are at work or out of pocket I text asking them to call me. 

Apr 20, 2015 10:55 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

If it's a complicated issue, I will email so as to describe it carefully and then will follow up with a phone call to discuss. Otherwise, I call.

Apr 20, 2015 09:17 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I always call them if it is bad news.

Apr 20, 2015 09:14 PM
Rainmaker
2,759,812
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 My thought would be to either call or visit the person.

Apr 20, 2015 08:23 PM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Debbie. I always handle bad or uncomfortable information by phone.

Apr 20, 2015 07:30 PM
Rainmaker
323,664
Fred Cope
Reliant Realty in Nashville, TN - Nashville, TN
Looking For Homes With A Smile

Debbie, I always try to deliver bad news face-to-face, if possible.  Perhaps it is the minister within, but there is no way to always avoid bad news, and it is in those moments when people get the true measure of your caring for them.  Mothers know all about kissing a boo-boo, and the true message of "I can't always keep you from hurt and pain, but I won't let you go through it alone."

 

From that moment of recognition, a client finds a confidence that says "We will rise above this inconvenience and reach our goal."  What more can I do for a long time client relationship?

Apr 20, 2015 03:07 PM
Rainmaker
2,224,473
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

My instinct is to, but today it depends on the client and how they prefer to communicate. 

Apr 20, 2015 02:29 PM
Rainmaker
969,888
Frank Rubi
Frank Rubi Real Estate, LLC - Metairie, LA
FrankRubiRealEstate.com

Good or Bad I Call. 

Apr 20, 2015 01:48 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,472
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I believe bad news needs to be in a phone call and personal, but guess that is the severity of the bad news.

Apr 20, 2015 12:22 PM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

A client will always get the call whether it's bad or good news, the mundane can be routed by other means.

Apr 20, 2015 11:51 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Most of the time it's best to call.

Oct 14, 2018 06:48 AM
Rainer
273,237
Richard Robibero, e-Pro, ABR, SRS
Panorama R.E. Limited - Toronto, ON
Selling Your Home as if it were My Own!

I would call.

Pet peeve.... if a potential client has bad news for me (i.e. "we are no longer interested in the property, you know, the one we spent an hour in talking about where we can put our furniture and what offer price to submit?") the common courtesy I ask is that you let me know that you are no longer interested in it and do not need my help. And I don't care if it's a call, email, or text.

Apr 22, 2015 10:00 PM
Rainmaker
105,361
Steve Vondran "Attorney Steve®
The Law Offices of Steven C. Vondran, P.C. - San Francisco, CA
Business, Real Estate, and Intellectual Property

Mirror and match.  Whatever your client likes best as a communication medium, serve it up in their medium.  

Apr 22, 2015 03:46 PM
Ambassador
1,076,551
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Call.  Always.  I want to call with all the good news, so I'd feel like a jerk sending a text when there's bad news.  Usually with bad news, people have questions, and sometimes want to vent.  I'm there when things are good, and when they're not so good.

Apr 21, 2015 10:04 AM
Rainmaker
4,571,967
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Debbie -- depends on the clients and the severity of the news.

It may even include -- hold on --- meeting in person --  I know -- shocking, huh?

Apr 21, 2015 09:44 AM
Rainmaker
938,537
Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana - West Lafayette, IN

Debbie, it has to be a phone call unless I learn something very, very late at night where I might spell out the details by email just in case they would happen to be up and tell them I will call them first thing in the morning.

Apr 21, 2015 08:34 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Call, Call, Call.

The evidence is mounting that if you choose to live by the sword you will suffer by the same. 

Text not received. Email sent to wrong address. (both happened YESTERDAY!)

Even worse....pay attention....they are using a shared resource. 

CALL!

Apr 21, 2015 03:08 AM
Rainer
26,764
Beatrice Briseno
RE/MAX Unlimited - San Antonio, TX
Beatrice M. Briseno, GRI, CDPE, San Antonio, TX

Call for sure, a text just does not cut it.

Apr 21, 2015 01:54 AM
Rainmaker
1,027,602
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

What Jeffrey Hogue said.  

Apr 20, 2015 09:29 PM
Rainmaker
3,626,530
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Always call them.  

Apr 20, 2015 09:25 PM