Reasonable Time-frame to hear back from parents?

[fruitloop]

Whom ever brings back the signed contract and the deposit first wins

This EXACTLY!

[cdngirl]

Does anyone ever followup within the week (if you haven't heard back right away) and say you'd like to offer them the spot if you really liked the family? Or does that seem too desperate?

[Inspired by Reggio]

Does anyone ever followup within the week (if you haven't heard back right away) and say you'd like to offer them the spot if you really liked the family? Or does that seem too desperate?

Personally I do not chase clients ~ I want people here in my program who value me and are excited to be coming here! So after an interview I tpyically send them a follow up email or or note thanking them for the interview and reminding them that I will be making a decision by X date and look forward to hearing from them again' .... if I DO NOT hear from them again before X date to let me know they are interested and hope I will consider them for the spot as well than I assume they are not interested and when I am making MY finally choice I choose from those who've kept in contact and show keen interest in being here and than when X date comes for that final round of interviewing I will send out a final 'thank you for your interest in the program at this time I am going another route' email and if need be keep advertizing if no one was suitable or fill the space from the remaining options!

[Momof4]

Does anyone ever followup within the week (if you haven't heard back right away) and say you'd like to offer them the spot if you really liked the family? Or does that seem too desperate?

I always send a thank you & nice to meet you email with my contracts and other forms attached for them to look over after an interview because I don't want to waste all my paper and ink. I ask them to feel free to write back to me with any further questions they may have but hopefully they will either let me know if they are 'going in another direction' or if they are very interested in a space. Since I always let them know during the interview that I have several interviews set up and the decision will be made in a certain amount of time if they are really interested they get back to me quickly. If you never hear from them again and they weren't even courteous enough to send you an email then you didn't want them anyway!

[playfelt]

Time frame has a lot to do with how soon parents are looking. If care is to start 2-3 months down the road or more then you know the parents are still in the "shopping" phase and it could be a month before they have completed all of the interviews they intend to have and start narrowing down their choices. These are the same people who are appalled and angry when they do contact you 2 months later only to find out you gave the space to another family a couple weeks after they visited. I have in the past sent emails to families saying the space is now filled but don't always bother. Figure it serves them right for passing me up instead of jumping on a good thing,lol.