Dealing With Difficult Real Estate Clients

Posted by Premier Commission on February 18, 2016 in Helpful Tips

Real estate is a people business, and as a professional agent, you’ve probably come to realize there are all kinds, and some kinds are hard to handle. What’s your best bet when dealing with challenging real estate clients?

Minimize bad experience and improve client relationships with these simple guidelines:

• Pick your battles.
  Pre-screening real estate clients to determine compatibility with what you have to offer (and the personality traits you can handle) can head off difficult clients at the pass. Think of pre-screening as a job interview: Are the clients on time? Presentable? Courteous? How’s the chemistry? What are their needs? This can help uncover issues and prevent misconceptions and misunderstandings before they arise in your professional relationship with clients, helping them understand what you need from them in order to produce a mutually beneficial, successful outcome.
• Put yourself in their shoes.
  You can’t always pick your real estate clients, but you can try to understand them by putting yourself in their shoes rather than trying to convince them to see things your way. Try communicating your position through their perspective instead to better determine how you can help.
• Air it out.
  Simply listening to difficult real estate clients can work wonders in a variety of situations. In the case of concerns, let clients talk until they finish, without interrupting, to show them concerns are valid and you care. Reassure them you understand the situation, then get back to work. In the case of unreasonable desires, listening can also help you understand the true root of the issue. For instance deciphering if “a lot of space” means a large home, large property, or simply an open floor plan. Addressing the emotional nature of the home buying or selling process with this venting technique can work wonders!
• Educate
  Sometimes in difficult client situations, you simply have to build your relationship with clients through education on how buyer/agent interactions should work. In some cases, clients are not truly difficult, simply ignorant of the industry and the process. Having this knowledge sets the groundwork for changes in behavior necessary for a successful relationship – whether they stay with you or seek out another real estate professional.
• Stand your ground.
  When all else fails, don’t be afraid to remind clients why they hired you as their real estate professional: Your skills and experience, and your track record of success. Stand calmly but firmly behind your methods and decisions, and be willing to recommend difficult clients find another agent.

Nightmare real estate clients have you in a difficult financial spot? Premier Commission can help with a commission advance. Contact us today!

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