What Emoticons Can't Convey

Uses -- and Limitations -- of Email

All the emoticons in the world are a poor substitute for conveying basic human emotions like empathy, amusement, disappointment, resolve -- and a million other subtle nuances.

Email also has a way of being misconstrued, or coming across harsher than intended.

So, for letting a client know (at midnight) which showings have been confirmed for the next day, email's a Godsend; for finishing off a tense negotiation . . . . most experienced Realtors instinctively reach for the phone.