Real estate agent’s gesture sparks debate: ‘Sorry you missed out’

A real estate agent's seemingly kind gesture has sparked a flurry of reactions online after they sent a letter and a small gift to one disappointed house hunter.

But while some thought the idea was thoughtful, the receiver of the letter on Tuesday was clearly unimpressed, deciding to share the contents on Reddit.

"Really sorry you missed out," the letter started off in caps. "I wanted to personally write to thank you for your interest in my recent listing.. and say how sorry we are that you missed out.

"I know how keen you were to make it yours and as much as we love our work, there are parts that are difficult. Telling someone the bad news that they have missed out on a property they are very keen on, is certainly the worst part of our role.

"I wish we had more properties like this one for those who have missed out on this home."

The letter also included a $1 scratchie to help "soften" the blow.

"I enclose a “scratchie” to try soften the disappointment! I’m hoping that this will be a lucky one which will boost your kitty, so next time you can extend your offer just a little bit more.

"As promised, I will keep you informed (of) any similar properties coming to the market."

Opinion divided on agent's letter

The post garnered lots of attention, with almost 2,000 views and 300 comments. The person who received the letter made their opinion quite clear, with many agreeing.

"We already knew we didn't get it. This was purely a 'sorry you're poor, maybe if you win the lottery you could afford to pay my bonus'," they claimed.

"A no response is much better. You don't kick a person when they are down, period," another commented.

Many thought both the scratchie and request for a higher offer was "tone deaf" and "passive aggressive", while others couldn't disagree more.

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"Given they probably sent 20+ of these out per rental, plus over multiple properties each week, they are spending a bit of money on it," one person commented.

"It’s a lot better than leaving you on read haha I hope you win something," another said.

"I really like this. Assuming this is for a property purchase (the "boost your kitty" comment would be unconscionable if it were a rental), this feels like a really good way to build loyalty," a third person said.

And some just found the letter confusing. "This is either really nice or 'really condescending a**hole' with just that one line, and we'll never know the answer," one commented.

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