Every experienced realtor has horror stories of clients that, for whatever reason, were a nightmare to deal with. While many experienced real estate agents can rattle of a list of ways to identify and avoid clients that may be potentially difficult, perhaps the best thing to do is to instead adjust your approach to diffuse difficult situations and position yourself as a trustworthy, patient expert.
We advise students of our real estate school to use these simple techniques to diffuse difficult situations, and turn it to their advantage:
- Don’t reveal your hand until the right moment – You may be the expert, and odds are that whenever a client digs in their heels against you it is to their detriment. But in the moment that doesn’t matter, and you want them to consider you an expert, not a know-it-all. Rather than empirically spouting off why their concerns are invalid or their desires are unrealistic, dig deeper and build up to your expertise.
- Understand the emotional aspect – For many clients, the experience of buying or selling a new home is one of the most emotional things they will ever do. For sellers, their memories could inflate their expected price, and for buyers their dreams pad their wishlist. It is your job to steer them onto the right course without spoiling memories or dreams. Connect with your clients emotionally, and use the words “I understand” as often as possible
- Guide them – Once your clients develop trust in your expertise, it is time to guide them in the right direction. Attempt to strike a compromise between what they are looking for and what they can achieve, but be patient if they don’t see the path at first. If a client isn’t finding what they’re looking for downtown, guide them to an area just outside of the main fold that can deliver what they need.
Star Max Real Estate School specializes in pre-licensing and real estate continuing education in Rancho Cucamonga, and online for all of California. Contact us today to keep up-to-date on your licensing and industry knowledge!
