Lesly, not sure if you are religious or not. If you are thank God for saving you from a miserable human.Well, THAT consumer is about to pay a high tuition fee to the school of Life. Shake their dust from your shoes. Rate shoppers always end up getting disappointed.
I think you are served well by not contributing to the race to the bottom. Some people will always go with the cheapest option and they will get what they pay for most of the time.
"Yellow letters" (handwritten letters on legal pad-looking paper) are ticking people off when sent out by the real estate investment community.
People undergoing foreclosure procedures are completely stressed out and afraid of mail of any kind - so a letter that appears to be just something from a friend or realty company and suddenly turns out to be just another attempt (in their eyes) to take advantage of their situation or to even make them deal with it is seen as something they'd rather avoid. Some will just weep, some will take umbrage, and some will be aggressively defensive.
All valid human emotions not necessarly caused by being a "troubled person" but a reaction by some of the strongest people in a tough situation where, often, the foreclosure is preceded by job loss or severe medical issues.
As an agent who has listed short sales as well as done my fair share of BPO's with people in trouble (different than "troubled people), I have seen much sadness, frustration, anger, aggressiveness and the gamut of emotions. Losing a home, having to move, being unable to pay a reset mortgage amount. coming up with help for moving and the funds to do so, on top of medical issues can shake even a strong foundation.
If they're in a possible financial bind and to see that material might strike home, I think it has nothing to do with you (and great job for hand-written notes). Perhaps they may have been hoping for something different that equals "hand-written" note and were caught off-guard. Interesting discussion though and things to think about ... and I don't always think they're mean people - but might be feeling shame, sadness, or a rough patch and the emotion can be so strong to bring out a retaliation (sad though she had to go to the effort of calling you people assume we're robots without emotion or heart - and unfortunately probably due to the wieners that ruined it for the rest of us). I got yelled at for providing too many details the other day. Ya just never know.
