Just like any other field, it would be naïve to consider real estate an easy job where everyone behaves and reacts the way you would like. Mixed among those who do not have a tendency to make things harder, there will be people who will not negotiate, and others who are just challenging to negotiate with. In order to handle difficult clients in real estate, you need to be sharp, keep up with the latest trends and stay up-to-date. You will also need to bear in mind that some clients may need constant reassurance.
Real estate can be quite a stressful business for clients. There is the anxiety and fear of losing money. This makes some clients in constant need of reassurance. They want to avoid possible wrong moves. Many of the threats they see as imminent, which make them challenge or question every move, will not seem to be as big of a deal to you. However, they do not see the flow of things the way you do. Being an agent, it is your job to try and understand your clients, not the other way around.
How to Handle Difficult Real Estate Clients
In order to ease the process and also improve your client relationship there are a few points you need to keep in mind:
Be Honest and Build Trust
This is the first thing you need to do with all clients and difficult ones in particular. First and foremost you need to create trust so that clients will feel comfortable with you. They should know they can share everything. The best way to achieve trust is to be honest with your client. Do not assure them about things that you are not sure about yourself. Tell them what they need to expect, even if you think they may not like it. Creating false hopes by promising them their house will sell in a week when you know it will take months, will only make them happy in the beginning.
Listen Carefully
If you find yourself dealing with a client who is on the fence or does not want to negotiate, it may be a sign of something you are not yet aware of. In this case what you can do is to listen carefully to what they say to find out what they need, what they want, and what concerns them. This will help you understand your clients better and will able you to try and dispel their worries. In most cases, their concerns are easily solved but if left ignored, they will grow into more serious issues.
Failing to carefully listen to your clients will almost always result in disagreements about what happened and what they wanted. This will definitely make your client dissatisfied with your services. When you listen to those who are happy with their agent, almost all say the agent was understanding and cared about their concerns and needs. Remember that in every business the customer comes first. In real estate, the wants of the client come first, no matter how great you think you are at what you do.
Be Reasonable with The Arrogant Clients
If you find yourself dealing with know-it-all clients with big egos, you need to tread carefully. They will question your decisions and even make fun of them or call you crazy for listing their home for a price they disagree with. In this case, do not fire back at them as it will not help anyone. Instead, be reasonable and challenge their claims. Ask them why to think they are right and back up your decisions with facts. Show them where they are mistaken. In the end, they will realize they do not know as much as you and will ideally drop their aggressive stance.
Get the Do-Nothing Clients To Talk
Some clients would rather leave everything to you and blame you in the end. These people will answer all of your WH questions with “I don’t know”. In this case, you need to guess what they want and then ask Yes/No questions based on those assumptions. I think the bedrooms are big enough for you. Right? They still may choose to say “I don’t know” but your chances of getting some feedback are much higher compared to when you ask open-ended questions.
Ask High Value Questions
Apart from listening, you need to voluntarily get the client to voice their needs and wants. In some cases, the client has no idea what to say and what to do. If left unattended in later stages, serious issues may arise. By asking important questions, you will get to know your client as a person and will learn how to work for them. After all, not everybody is the same. Things that are trivial for some, can be of the utmost importance for others.
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Asking questions should be done in a way that gives you insight into the personality traits of the client. In this way, you can prevent unpleasant situations or misunderstandings. Ask questions about what really matters to them in the deal, and what they really would not want. Real estate can be a stressful field for many clients. Getting to know such vulnerabilities will help you create a smooth and hassle-free experience.
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Don’t Keep the Clients in the Dark
It is true that clients work with you because you know the process and they don’t. But leaving them in the dark will create a sense of insecurity and lack of assurance. This can cause a lack of trust. As you go along in the process, educate the client on what is happening and why and let them know what will happen next. Once they have a clearer image of what is going on, they will get to truly appreciate the hard work you do for them. This helps all parties stay more positive about the process.
Keeping the clients in the dark and not telling them why something is happening or how the market is doing, will make them have a sense of being cheated or ignored. Then they may start to shed some light on the issue by challenging your actions and decisions. They will be made skeptical.
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Always Show That You Care
It is true that you are hired to help the client buy or sell a home, but they should not feel that way. They should see you standing by their side through all the difficulties and problems. They should see you care about their situation as though it were your own. If the client thinks differently or does not feel as confident about a deal, do not put your foot down and insist that you know what you are doing. Instead, put yourself in their shoes and try to understand what is bothering them even if you find it irrelevant. Try to eliminate the source of their negative feeling.
Always Try to Make the Client Feel Better
You have been in the real estate business for a long time and know what you are doing. The client does not know that. With every new development in the process, the client may feel overwhelmed and doubt the process. To handle a challenging real estate client, at every stage make sure to see things through their eyes. Notice their priorities and concerns and try to make them feel better. Emotional support is one of the most important things any professional should do in their business. Have a quick look at real estate testimonials and you will see a lot of people saying how the agent supported them in the process and assured them.
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Bring out the Positivity in Negative Clients
The world is full of negative people who see threats in every opportunity. Once you meet them as a client, they will question everything. They will find the most unpleasant possibility in every step and will voice their concern. To deal with them you need to ask them to write down everything negative about the deal they think might happen or exists. Then counter this with the positive aspects of the deal.
Once they are done with their list, deal with the negative points first. Go through each point. Address the false ones by explaining why they are wrong and validate those that are really promising them you will think of a workaround or come up with a solution. Leaving negative people with their negativity will affect the pace of the process creating more problems.
How to Handle Difficult Real Estate Clients: Final Words
When clients don’t feel calm, they might come across as uncooperative. Others might have a negative attitude or trust issues. You just can’t handle everybody the same. And you should never ignore clients, thinking that you know best. Creating trust is the first step to handle a difficult real estate client. Show them you are on their side, you are aware of their concerns, you care, and you know what you are doing. Keep them updated in all stages and don’t lie to them. Tell them what to expect next.
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